Self-aligned metal nanoparticles and nanowires grown on ripple-templates

Nobel metal nanoparticles exhibit distinct optical properties due to their localized surface plasmon resonance. They are used nowadays in various applications, like solar cells, nonlinear optical devices or sensors. Especially for nanoscale optics aligned equidistant chains of metal nanoparticles are favored [1]. Ion beam sputtered surfaces featuring self-organized ripple patterns are excellent templates for the alignment of these metal nanoparticles. Depending on deposition angle, substrate temperature, beam flux, and deposition time, the nanostructures align parallel to the ripples, eventually coalescing and forming nanowires [2]. Because of alignment the nanoparticles exhibit a strongly anisotropic plasmonic resonance [3]. We will present how Ag nanoparticles grow and align on ion beam rippled Si surfaces and how the optical properties depend on their shape, size, and alignment.

[1]S.A. Maier and H.A. Atwater, Jour. Appl. Phys. 98, 011101 (2005).
[2]T.W.H. Oates, A. Keller, S. Noda, et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 93 (2008).
[3]T.W.H. Oates, A. Keller, S. Facsko, et al., Plasmonics 2, 47 (2007).