Formation and evolution of self-assembled crystalline Si nanorings on (001) Si mediated by Au nanodots Available to Purchase

The growth of high-density Si nanorings has been achieved on ultrathin Au films on silicon substrate. Nanorings, which are gold-free and epitaxially grown on (001) Si, had a narrow distribution of height and diameter of $1.4±0.3$ and $24.9±4.0nm$⁠, with a density of $4.3×1010cm−2$⁠. In situ ultrahigh-vacuum transmission electron microscopy revealed that the formation of nanorings involves a mechanism mediated by Au nanodots and evaporation of Au-Si eutectic liquid droplets at high temperature. The process promises to be an effective nanofabrication technique to produce high-density and uniform-sized nanorings.