Ordered nanocrystals on argon ion sputtered polymer film

We demonstrate that a variety of intriguing patterns can be induced by several keV Argon ions on the ultrathin polymer films at glancing angles of incidence with the simultaneous sample rotation. These periodic structure films can be used as the templates to fabricate densely packed nanometer-scale structures by deposition of atoms. Well-ordered arrays of stripe-like Si nanostructures with 7 nm wavelength and uniformly sized and shaped nanoparticles of copper in diameter of 7 nm were produced on the thin polymer film. This approach represents a convenient route for fabricating nanometer-scale wires and dots for metals and semiconductors.