Fabrication of high-density BiFeO nanodot and anti-nanodot arrays by anodic alumina template-assisted ion beam etching.

Efficient and cost-competitive fabrication of high-quality ferroelectric and multiferroic nanostructures is of general interest. In this work, a top-down nano-patterning technique is developed by the Ar ion beam etching in combination with the sacrificed ultrathin anodic alumina (AAO) mask. This technique is demonstrated by preparation of the epitaxial BiFeO (BFO) nanostructures of various geometries, including nanodot and anti-nanodot arrays.