Usage of Patterned Surfaces Formed Using Low-Energy Ions for Various Applications

About this Research Topic

Background

Low-energy ions often form self-organized nanostructures (ripples, dots, terraces, hillocks, holes, etc.) on surfaces. Properties of such patterns widely change with experimental parameters such as ion energy, angle of incidence, ion fluence, gaseous species, etc. Such patterns may be used in numerous applications such as plasmonics, magnetic arrays and functionalizing bio-molecules, tuning surface wettability, etc. For example, hexagonal arrays of nanodots are used as templates for the formation of arrays of nanomagnets that could be used in high-density magnetic data storage on cobalt ferrite and GaSb nanodots respectively for High‐Density Periodically Ordered Magnetic arrays. Ripple patterns on silicon may be used as templates to grow aligned silver nanoparticles on rippled silicon templates exhibiting anisotropic plasmon absorption applications. The rippled surfaces are used as substrates for cell cultures with the substrate topography providing mechanical cues that can influence cell adhesion and proliferation, or even cause stem cells to differentiate in specific ways. Patterns are also being used as SERS sensors. Furthermore, sensors are all around us and are now very much part of our everyday lives, such as smart watches and mobile phones. Sensors are to be explored more in terms of their usage with ease and cost effectiveness. This field of research is very much alive and requires a thorough study to benefit our society. Therefore, it is highly motivating to study the ion beam produced patterns for their fundamental studies and for their applications.

Energetic ion beams have already been utilized for pattern formation. Desired nanostructures of any shape and size on any surface, especially semiconductors, can be created by controlling the ion beam parameters. A few examples are listed below:

(i) Patterned surfaces (dot and ripple pattern), formed using ion beams, allow molecules to be attached in a better way compared to non-patterned surfaces.

(ii) There are various applications in the field of plasmonics. Metals such as gold and silver, deposited on rippled substrates can form rows of nanoparticles exhibiting a polarization-dependent plasmon absorption.

(iii) Gold film on the ripple patterned surface of SiO₂ is deposited, and it was found that the deposited gold layers do not actually deposit aligned in the valleys of the ripples beyond a certain thickness. For this, the ripple pattern will be produced on the glass (transparent) substrates and then the films will be produced on it at very slow scan rates, one can have aligned nanowires of gold/silver onto a transparent substrate to explore the plasmonic behavior of the nanowires.

Both experimental and theoretical articles are welcomed within the scope of this Research Topic. Key areas which will be explored include the following list:

• Pattern formation with low energy ion beams
Studies on the utilization of low energy ion beams for pattern formation of nanostructures are welcomed in this Research Topic. Of particular interest are papers exploring how the pattern formation on semiconductor surfaces is controlled by the ion beam parameters.

• Ion beam effect in modifying the properties of materials
The effect of nuclear and electronic energy loss on structural modifications such as damage formation, phase transitions and amorphization on a variety of materials is of interest to this Research Topic, with a view to use these properties in various applications.

• Tailoring the wettability of surfaces using ion beams
Surface morphology plays a significant role in governing the contact angle of the surfaces with water droplets making the surface hydrophobic/hydrophilic in nature. This has possible applications medical devices and in automobile industries, etc.

• Molecular and bio applications through functionalizing bio-molecules
The ion bombarded surface promotes the formation of unsaturated bonds or the breakage of polymeric chains or emission of fragments that may be atomic or molecular. Once the functionalization takes place, we can put the appropriate enzymes to sense the constituent of bio-molecules in the desired manner using a three-electrode photochemical cell through cyclic voltammetry studies.

• Thin film growth on ion beam produced patterns for various applications
Film growth on patterns surfaces is exciting both for fundamental study experimentally as well as theoretically and it can lead to many novel properties. They can generate magnetic anisotropy if a magnetic film grows on a patterned surface.

• High‐density periodically ordered magnetic arrays
It is of high importance to study the use of hexagonal arrays of nanodots employed as templates for the formation of arrays of nanomagnets that could be used in high-density magnetic data storage on Cobalt Ferrite and GaSb nanodots respectively.

• Applications in other fields
The Research Topic will also encapsulate applications within various fields such as:
o Sensors technology (e.g. pesticides sensors, gas sensors, bio-sensors, and many more)
o Plasmonics
o Energy harvesting and energy storage
o Catalysts

Keywords: ion beams, morphology, sensing properties, pattern formation, ripples and dots, magnetic anisotropies, plasmonics

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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