Mechanisms of nanorod growth on focused-ion-beam-irradiated semiconductor surfaces: Role of redeposition

We have examined the formation and evolution of irradiation-induced nanorod (NR) growth through a comparison of focused-ion-beam irradiation of InSb wafers and InSb/GaAs heterostructures. Above a critical ion dose, cone-shaped NRs capped with In islands form on both InSb surfaces. For InSb wafers, the NR base diameter increases with ion energy. In the case of InSb/GaAs heterostructures, as the milled depth approaches the InSb/GaAs interface, the cone-shaped NRs transition to capless NRs with a truncated cone shape. These results suggest a growth mechanism in which both the NR cap and body are supplied by redeposition of atoms sputtered from InSb.