An in situ real-time growth study of Ag film on the ion beam sculptured GaSb nanostructures

Nanocone patterns with long-range order were fabricated on a GaSb (001) substrate using lowenergy ion beam sputtering. The experimental findings elucidate the underlying mechanism involved in the growth of nanostructures on the GaSb (001) surface. These templates were used to study the growth dynamics of the Ag thin films through the in situ grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) technique. During film deposition, four distinct growth stages were observed: surface replication, cluster formation, coalescence into a continuous film, and shape transition of the nanoclusters from hemi-ellipsoids to cylinders after percolation. The GISAXS data and their simulations provided valuable insights into the film's structural evolution, shape, and distribution during deposition.