Electronically patterning through one-dimensional nanostripes with high density of states on single-crystalline Al₂O₃ domain

Self-assembled one-dimensional nanostripes on the single-crystalline Al₂O₃ domains are found to be the nucleation sites of nanoparticles through an enhanced density of states observed by the scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy. Bias-dependent topographic images and the conductivity spectra indicate that these nanostripes have both enhanced occupied and unoccupied states within the oxide bandgap. These more metallic nanostripes have stronger electronically trapping ability than the oxide domain, which can be used as a one-dimensional electronically self-patterned template for the guided growth of nanostructures.