Persichetti, LucaRuffell, SimonCapasso, ASgarlata, AFanfoni, MMotta, NBalzarotti, A2015-12-070040-6090http://hdl.handle.net/1885/19704Spatial organization of Ge islands, grown by physical vapor deposition, on prepatterned Si(001) substrates has been investigated. The substrates were patterned prior to Ge deposition by nanoindentation. Characterization of Ge dots is performed by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The nanoindents act as trapping sites, allowing ripening of Ge islands at those locations during subsequent deposition and diffusion of Ge on the surface. The results show that island ordering is intrinsically linked to the nucleation and growth at indented sites and it strongly depends on pattern parameters.Keywords: Ge dots; Ge island; Germanium islands; Growth; Nanoindents; Nucleation and growth; Si (001) substrate; Spatial organization; Trapping sites; Atomic force microscopy; Nanoindentation; Nucleation; Physical vapor deposition; Scanning electron microscopy; Sil Atomic force microscopy; Germanium islands; Growth; Nanoindentation; Nucleation; Silicon201110.1016/j.tsf.2011.01.3902016-02-24