Removal of pyramidal germanium nanoislands from the silicon (001) surface as a result of deposition/sputtering of a gold nanolayer

Optimal conditions for selective removal of pyramidal germanium nanoislands from the silicon (001) surface by sequential ion-beam deposition/sputtering of a gold layer with a nanoscale thickness are determined experimentally; it is important that the sizes of large domelike germanium nanoislands change only slightly as a result of the ion-beam treatment.