Synthesis of aligned nanowire arrays by shaping of nanometals with swift heavy ions – modelling and atomistic simulations


Synthesis of aligned nanowire arrays by shaping of nanometals with swift heavy ions – modelling and atomistic simulations

Heinig, K.-H.; Vredenberg, A.; Toulemonde, M.; Nordlund, K.

The functionality of nanoparticles can be extended by shape anisotropy. Thus, for future hard disks, rod-like nanomagnets are more resistant against thermally activated spin flipping than spheres, and, for photonics, light is guided as surface plasmon-polariton along a chain of rods with less damping than along a chain of spheres. Recently it has been shown [1] that Au nanospheres embedded in SiO2 can be shaped into rods (and even wires) by swift heavy ion irradiation. The underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Van Dillen has proven [2] that the Trinkaus model [3], which describes successfully the ion beam shaping of dielectrics/semiconductors, can not be applied to ion beam shaping of metal nanoparticles. Here, a consistent mechanism of ion beam shaping and nanowire ripening will be presented. Using the temperature-time profiles of ion tracks in SiO2 as delivered by Toulemonde [4], atomistic computer experiments performed with kinetic Monte-Carlo and Molecular Dynamics codes reproduce the experimental results [5]. Our comprehensive numerical studies facilitate a further optimisation of ion beam shaping.
[1] A. Vredenberg et al., IBMM2004 Conf., Monterey (USA), Sept5 - 10, 2004.
[2] T. van Dillen, Int. Workshop “Ion Beam Shaping”, Amsterdam (Netherlands), Dec17, 2004.
[3] H. Trinkaus, J. Nucl. Mater. 223, 196 (1995).
[4] M. Toulemonde, Nucl. Instr. and Methods B66/67, 903 (2000), and private comm..
[5] K.-H. Heinig, talk OO7.5 at the MRS2005 Fall Meeting, Nov28-Dec01, 2005, Boston (USA).

Keywords: nanostructures; shaping; high-energy ion-irradiation; gold; silica; modeling; computer simulations

  • Lecture (Conference)
    E-MRS IUMRS ICEM Spring Meeting 2006, Symposium "Science and Technology of Nanotubes and Nanowires", 29.05.-02.06.2006, Nice, France

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Publ.-Id: 9284