Figure 1
Ion-shaping of an array of gold nanoparticles embedded within a silica matrix.
(a) Array (with a pitch 200 nm) of as-prepared gold nanoparticles (diameter of 30 ± 2 nm) within a 500 nm silica matrix. (b) 3D sketch illustrating the evolution of the shape of the nanoparticles during swift heavy ion irradiation. (c–f) HAADF cross-sectional images showing the morphological deformation of the nanoparticles with fluence: (c) spherical, (d) elliposidal, (e) nanorod (NR) and (f) nanowires (NW). The labels indicate the ion fluences in units of ions. cm−2, with the tag (n.i.) referring to the non-irradiated sample. The red arrows indicate the direction of the ion beam. (g) 3D sketch illustrating a nanocomposite irradiated at an angle. (h) HAADF cross-sectional image of NR fabricated using an ion beam at an irradiation angle of 45° and a fluence of 2 × 1014 ions/cm2. The tilted NR has the same dimensions as the vertically aligned NRs.
