Position-controlled laser-induced creation of rutile TiO₂ nanostructures

Abstract

For potential applications of nanostructures, control over their position is important. In this report, we introduce two continuous wave laser-based lithography techniques which allow texturing thin TiO2 films to create a fine rutile TiO2 structure on silicon via spatially confined oxidation or a solid–liquid–solid phase transition, for initial layers, we use titanium and anatase TiO2, respectively. A frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at a wavelength of 532 nm is employed for the lithography process and the samples are characterized with scanning electron microscopy. The local orientation of the created rutile crystals is determined by the spatial orientation of hydrothermally grown rutile TiO2 nanorods. Depending on the technique, we obtain either randomly aligned or highly ordered nanorod ensembles. An additional chemically inert SiO2 cover layer suppresses the chemical and electronic surface properties of TiO2 and is removed locally with the laser treatment. Hence, the resulting texture provides a specific topography and crystal structure as well as a high contrast of surface properties on a nanoscale, including the position-controlled growth of TiO2 nanorods.

TiO2 Nanowire Array Memristive Devices Emulating Functionalities of Biological Synapses

“…However, for device application as artificial synapsis in physical neuronal networks, the device architecture, and the structure's dimensions need to be adjusted. Previous work already shows the possibility of position controlled growth and the impact of the growth parameters on the resulting structure of the nanowire, [ 49,50 ] which can be used in further device engineering work on building physical neuronal networks based on TiO 2 nanowires.…”

Effects of Si Slabs on the Performance of CdO Thin Films Designed for Optoelectronic Applications

“…Due to the large surface area to the volume ratio of layered structured materials, the surface engineering of these structures seems to be one of the most important challenges that occupy the interest of researchers while finding applications for such structures. One of the engineering methods is the laser assisted texturing 4 . The resulting textures are found to exhibit remarkable crystal structures and high contrast of surface properties on a nanoscale level 4 .…”

“…One of the engineering methods is the laser assisted texturing 4 . The resulting textures are found to exhibit remarkable crystal structures and high contrast of surface properties on a nanoscale level 4 . Alternatively, zinc(II)-coordinated nanostructured polymers are reported to have photocatalytic activity for the degradation of organic dyes 5 .…”