The unique architecture of iridescent Morpho butterfly scales is known to exhibit different optical responses to various vapours. However, the mechanism behind this phenomenon is not fully quantitatively understood. This work reports on process developments in the micro-fabrication of a Morpho-inspired photonic structure in atomic layer deposited (ALD) materials in order to investigate the vapour optical sensitivity of such artificial nanostructures. By developing recipes for dry and wet etching of ALD oxides, we micro-fabricated two structures: one combining Al2O3 and TiO2, and the other combining Al2O3 and HfO2. For the first time, we report the optical response of such ALD Morpho-like structures measured under a controlled flow of either ethanol or isopropyl alcohol (IPA) vapour. In spite of the small magnitude of the effect, the results show a selective vapour response (depending on the materials used).

One of the challenging aspects of science and technology on a nanometer-scale is the precise three-dimensional control of nano-objects. Scanning probe microscopy manipulation, magneticor electric-field alignment and lithography-based techniques are only a few of the techniques that have been reported so far. Nevertheless, most of these techniques are still being developed and their integration for device fabrication represents a real challenge for the scientific community. Within this context, nanowires and nanotubes are of great interest because they lie between the macroscopic and atomic scales. The ability to fabricate andmanipulate such objects in a reliablemanner on a large scale will foster their use in electronic, photonic, and sensing applications. Templatebased methods have been successfully used for nanowire fabrication as they allow the realization of complex organic/ inorganic nanostructures. To date, nanoporous anodic alumina oxide (AAO) made by the electrochemical oxidation of aluminum has been extensively used because it provides a good platform for the development of various nanostructures. This interest originates from the fact that AAO membranes, having a high density of nanopores (up to 10 cm ), are easily produced over large areas with variable thicknesses. Moreover, a good chemical and mechanical stability combined with interesting electrical properties make AAO membranes good candidates for nanowire fabrication. However, the use of such nanostructures as passive or active components in emerging electronic devices requires smartly engineered arrays of nanowires with well defined position and pitch.