Pre-structured metallic template for the growth of ordered, square-based nanodots

We present new features of the self-ordered N/Cu(1 0 0) surface: this pre-patterned template offers the possibility of growing ordered square-based nanodots regular in sizes and spacings on the bare copper areas in-between the octagonal-shaped nitrogen domains at high N coverage. Furthermore, we applied another method of nitrogen adsorption on the copper (1 0 0) surface leading to a higher quality template, namely adsorption at a sample temperature of 630 K and the sample surface being not directly seen by the filament activating the nitrogen. As example, we deposited gold onto this pre-structured template N/Cu(1 0 0) surface resulting in a perfect arrangement of regular and ordered square-based two atomic layers high gold nanodots.