Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Nucleation of gold nanoclusters in TiO2(110) single crystal using ion implantation and subsequent annealing were studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry /channeling (RBS/C), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Approximately 1000 Au2+/nm2 were implanted at room temperature in TiO2(110) substrates. TEM and SEM measurements reveal that rounded nanoclusters were formed during the implantation. In contrast, subsequent annealing in air for 10 hours at 1275 K promoted the formation of faceted (rectangular shaped) Au nanostructures in TiO2. RBS channeling measurements further reveled that Au atoms randomly occupied the host TiO2 lattice during the implantation. However, it appears that some Au atoms moved to the Ti lattice positions after annealing.