Patterning of metal nanowires by directed ion-induced dewetting

Ion beam irradiation of thin Au and Pt lines on SiO ₂ substrates, 60-400 nm wide and 8-25 nm thick, led to the formation of nanowires by directed dewetting. Continued irradiation of these wires further resulted in the formation of a linear array of metal dots with spacings consistent with a Rayleigh instability. For metal lines wider than ≈250 nm, dry patches nucleated in the interior of the lines, preventing nanowire formation. The height of the lines relative to the substrate surface could be controlled by anisotropic deformation of the underlying SiO ₂ substrate.