Quasicrystal surfaces as templates for artificial aperiodic systems: from nanoclusters to epilayers

This paper presents a brief overview of recent progress in the investigation of the potential of clean quasicrystal surfaces for use as templates for the formation of ‘artificial’ aperiodic systems. The clean fivefold surfaces of i-Al–Pd–Mn and i-Al–Cu–Fe and the 10-fold surface of d-Al–Ni–Co are briefly discussed, and their use as templates for aperiodic ‘0’-dimensional (nanostructure) systems, of 1-d (quantum wire) systems, of 2-d (monolayer) systems, and of 3-d (epilayer) structures is reviewed.