Self-organized growth of single crystals of nanopores

Self-organized single crystalline two-dimensional hexagonal arrays of pores in InP semiconductor compound are reported. We show that the self-arrangement of pores can be obtained on n-type substrates with (100) and (111) orientations. The long-range order in pore distribution evidenced in (100)InP samples proves to be favored by the so-called nucleation layer exhibiting branching pores oriented along [111] directions. The combination of long-range order with self-induced diameter oscillations is shown to be promising for nonlithographic growth of three-dimensional pore crystals. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.