Nanostructure fabrication by selective growth of molecular crystals on layered material substrates

Nanostructures consisting of C_<60> molecules were fabricated on a GaSe/MoS_2 heterostructure. A submonolayer film of a lamellar compound semiconductor GaSe was grown on a MoS_2 substrate to form nanoscale holes or grooves surrounded by monolayer steps. Atomic force microscope (AFM) observation indicates that C_<60> molecules grow only in the bare MoS2 nanoregions at a substrate temperature of 180 degrees C. C_<60> molecules fill up those holes and grooves, and nanoscale C_<60> domains with polygonal shapes can be formed. This selective growth method can be combined with nanoscale patterning made by a scanning-tunneling microscope or AFM to produce nanostructures of molecular crystals with designed shapes. (c) 1997 American Institute of Physics