Figure 1.

Schematic illustrating the lithography-free micro-/nanoscale patterning on Si and Ge surfaces. I. Endoepitaxial growth of nanoscale silicides or germanides with shape and orientation controls. Either triangle-, square-, or wirelike silicides/germanides can be synthesized, depending on the orientation of the substrates used. II. Morphology-controlled micro-/nanoscale pits via tailored sublimation. Such inverted structures on Si/Ge surfaces can be achieved if the furnace temperature is high enough to induce the sublimation of the metal-semiconductor compounds. In both processes, Au NPs are used to trap metal vapors at high temperature, which effectively guides the locations of reactions.