Ordered SrTiO_3 Nanoripples Induced by Focused Ion Beam

Ordered nanoripples on the niobium-doped SrTiO_3 surfaces were fabricated through focused ion beam bombardment. The surface morphology of the SrTiO_3 nanoripples was characterized using in situ focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy. The well-aligned SrTiO_3 nanostructures were obtained under optimized ion irradiation conditions. The characteristic wavelength was measured as about 210 nm for different ion beam currents. The relationship between the ion irradiation time and current and SrTiO_3 surface morphology was analyzed. The presented method will be an effective supplement for fabrication of SrTiO_3 nanostructures that can be used for ferroelectric and electronic applications.

High-Density Nanowells Formation in Ultrafast Laser-Irradiated Thin Film Metallic Glass

We present an effective approach for fabricating nanowell arrays in a one-step laser process with promising applications for the storage and detection of chemical or biological elements.Biocompatible thin films of metallic glasses are manufactured with a selected composition of Zr_(65)Cu_(35),known to exhibit remarkable mechanical properties and glass forming ability.Dense nanowell arrays spontaneously form in the ultrafast laser irradiation spot with dimensions down to 20 nm.The flared shape observed by transmission electron microscopy is ideal to ensure chemical or biological material immobilization into the nanowells.This also indicates that the localization of the cavitation-induced nanopores can be tuned by the density and size of the initial nanometric interstice from the columnar structure of films deposited by magnetron sputtering.In addition to the topographic functionalization,the laser-irradiated amorphous material exhibits structural changes analyzed by spectroscopic techniques at the nanoscale such as energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy.Results reveal structural changes consisting of nanocrystals of monoclinic zirconia that grow within the amorphous matrix.The mechanism is driven by local oxidation process catalyzed by extreme temperature and pressure conditions estimated by an atomistic simulation of the laser-induced nanowell formation.

Enhancement of photocatalytic activity by femtosecond-laser induced periodic surface structures of Si

Laser induced periodic surface structures(LIPSS)represent a kind of top down approach to produce highly reproducible nano/microstructures without going for any sophisticated process of lithography.This method is much simpler and cost effective.In this work,LIPSS on Si surfaces were generated using femtosecond laser pulses of 800 nm wavelength.Photocatalytic substrates were prepared by depositing TiO2 thin films on top of the structured and unstructured Si wafer.The coatings were produced by sputtering from a Ti target in two different types of oxygen atmospheres.In first case,the oxygen pressure within the sputtering chamber was chosen to be high(3×10^–2 mbar)whereas it was one order of magnitude lower in second case(2.1×10^–3 mbar).In photocatalytic dye decomposition study of Methylene blue dye it was found that in the presence of LIPSS the activity can be enhanced by 2.1 and 3.3 times with high pressure and low pressure grown TiO2 thin films,respectively.The increase in photocatalytic activity is attributed to the enlargement of effective surface area.In comparative study,the dye decomposition rates of TiO2 thin films grown on LIPSS are found to be much higher than the value for standard reference thin film material Pilkington Activ^TM.