Large-scale self-assembled epitaxial growth of highly-ordered three-dimensional micro/nano single-crystalline PbSe pyramid arrays by selective chemical bath deposition

Highly ordered three-dimensional micro-and nano-PbSe pyramid arrays were synthesized by using selective epitaxial self-assembled chemical bath deposition method. Each pyramid consists of a very sharp (111) tip with six smooth equivalent {100} facets. Every (100) facet forms an angle of about 54.7 degrees with respect to the (111) facet. The structural features including pyramidal size and period could be precisely tailored by pre-patterned Au mask and etching time. Pyramids are self-assembled on the confined positions by the dual functions of one-dimensional and two-dimensional oriented attachment mechanisms along [110] directions on the (111) surface, following the Gibbs-Curie-Wulff minimum energy principle. This method could effectively create large, bottom-up 3D pyramidal surface patterns in a cost-effective and time-saving manner, which has potential applications in infrared photoconductors, solar cells and light emitting enhancement for display, etc.