Aligned three-dimensional prismlike magnesium nanostructures realized onto silicon substrate

A simple approach is proposed to realize three-dimensional (3D) prismlike Mg nanostructures, which has several advantages over previous investigations such as suitable for mass production, reduced impurities, tailored dimensions, and easier integration into microsystem. 3D Mg nanostructures are realized onto silicon substrate using a conventional thermal evaporator, where the incident angle of Mg vapor flux with respect to the substrate surface normal is fixed at 88 deg. The as-prepared 3D Mg nanostructures are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and surface area measurement