All-self-assembled MgO nanorods and nanowires grown on Au-decorated MgO substrates by pulsed laser deposition

We report on the fabrication of MgO nanorods and nanowires by a novel, all-self-assembled method, using Pulsed Laser Deposition. The seeds for the formation of these one-dimensional nanostructures consisted of self-assembled gold nanodots. Gold was used due to its well-known catalytic effect. Dimensions and surface density of the Au nano-dots, investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy, depend on the deposition conditions and the number of laser pulses. Morphology of the MgO nanorods and nanowires was investigated by SEM, and was found to depend strongly on the deposition conditions and on the architecture of the Au nanodots on the decorated substrates.