Growth characteristics of inclined columns produced by Glancing Angle Deposition (GLAD) and colloidal lithography

Nanocolumns were produced by performing Glancing Angle Deposition (GLAD) onto self-assembled template arrays consisting of platinum coated polystyrene spheres. By varying the angle of incidence (θ = 35°, 10° and 5°) and the deposited surface mass density it was possible to control the shape of the individual columns. The changes in column shape as function of the amount of mass deposited on the respective surfaces were characterized by monitoring the increase in the length and width of the structures. Interestingly the column shape development followed a power law behaviour. The power law exponents retrieved from the length and width increment as function of the deposited surface mass density decreased from 1.06 to 0.46 and 0.71 to 0.09, respectively, as θ changed from 35° to 5°. The changes in the power law exponents indicate that the growth of the nano-columns is influenced by both surface diffusion and shadowing effects. A detailed understanding of the underlying processes governing the nanocolumn growth might be utilized in the design of new functional nanomaterials.