Self-assembly of well-aligned 3C-SiC ripples by focused ion beam

Well-aligned ripple structures on the surface of a single crystal of 3C-SiC were created by focused ion beam bombardment, and the resulting morphology and topography were characterized using in situ focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy, as well as ex situ atomic force microscopy. The ripple structure formed as a result of ion sputtering beyond a critical incident angle (∼50 deg.), and its characteristic wavelength varied from 158 to 296 nm with changes in the incident angle and ion beam flux. The geometry, ordering, and homogeneity of the ripples can be well controlled by varying the ion beam incident angle and beam current, as required for the fabrication of nanostructures that use SiC for optical and electronic applications