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We propose an original approach called “stencil-masked ion implantation process” to perform a spatially localized synthesis of a limited number of Si nanoparticles (nps) within a thin SiO2 layer. This process consists in implanting silicon ions at ultra-low energy through a stencil mask containing a periodic array of opened windows (from 50 nm to 2 um). After the stencil removal, a thermal annealing is used to synthesize small and spherical embedded nps. AFM observations show that the stencil windows are perfectly transferred into the substrate without any clogging or blurring effect. The samples exhibit a 3 nm localized swelling of the regions rich in Si nps. Moreover, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy shows that due to the quantum confinement only the implanted regions containing the Si nps are emitting light.

Spin-coated solid films of the gold-cluster compd. dodeca-(triphenylphosphine), hexa(chloro)pentapentacontagold Au55(PPh3)12Cl6 are irradiated with a focused 20-keV Ga+ focused-ion beam. Writing speeds on the substrate ranged from 50 up to 2000 mm/s. This treatment locally decreases the soly. of the metalorg. precursor layer in CH2Cl2. Removal of the nonirradiated part of the surface layer with this solvent, followed by thermal decompn. of the remaining metalorg. nanostructures, leads to conducting gold lines. The width (150-360 nm) and height (20-80 nm) of these metallic lines depend on the ion dose and the original film height of the gold compd. Possible interactions leading to the fixation are briefly discussed.