Nanotrenches induced by catalyst particles on ZnSe surfaces

Nanotrenches are induced by thermal annealing Au droplets on ZnSe surfaces. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy studies of the nanotrench structures reveal that the preferred migration directions of the catalyst droplets are along the < 110 > direction family. On a ZnSe(111) B surface, each of the trenches is along one of the six < 110 > directions while on a nonvicinal ZnSe(100) surface, the trenches are along a pair of antiparallel < 110 > directions. Based on the results obtained from atomic force microscopy surface profiling and electron energy-loss spectroscopy chemical analysis techniques, a model is proposed to describe the possible formation mechanisms of the observed nanotrenches. The highly parallel nanotrenches induced on the Au/ZnSe(100) structure as revealed in this study are potentially useful as a template for in situ fabrication of ordered one-dimensional nanostructures ( such as nanowires) of many materials.