Formation of In(2)O(3) nanorings on Si substrates

Abstract

A new approach to form the In(2)O(3) nanorings (NRs) has been proven by tailoring the difference between property of metal and metal oxide. The formation process of the In(2)O(3) NRs is proposed to be resulted form a subtle competition between the oxidation and evaporation of indium at the rim and center, respectively. Patterned In(2)O(3) NRs have been grown on (001) Si substrates in combination with nanosphere lithography. The size and morphology of the NRs can be controlled by the size of polystyrene nanospheres and the thickness of indium layer. The optical property measurements showed that the In(2)O(3) NRs are sensitive in absorption and emission of light between 600 and 622 nm in wavelength. The patterned In(2)O(3) NRs on silicon are advantageous for fabricating optical-response photonic devices at the desired locations and direct integration to the silicon-based photonic devices with current processing technology. (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3511539]