Two-dimensional long-range–ordered growth of uniform cobalt nanostructures on a Au(111) vicinal template

A novel approach based on strain-relief vicinal patterned substrates is demonstrated for two-dimensional (2D) self-ordered growth. Long-range–ordered cobalt nanodots growth is achieved using a Au(788) vicinal surface which is spontaneously patterned in two dimensions at a nanometer scale with a macroscopic coherence length. Performing the cobalt growth on a substrate cooled down to 130 K allows a high degree of nanostructure uniformity. The atomic processes responsible for such a behavior are discussed. Such a high quality of both long-range–and local–ordered cobalt growth opens up the possibility of making measurements of physical properties of such nanostructures by macroscopic integration techniques.