Spatially selective photochemical reduction of silver on nanoembossed ferroelectric PZT nanowires.

It is well known that photochemical reaction in an aqueous solution can be chosen by selectively patterning the domain structures of ferroelectrics. In this work, we investigate the photochemically induced deposition of Ag particles on ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate [Pb(Zr(x),Ti(1 - x))O(3)] nanowires fabricated by nanoembossing technology. The photochemical reduction of Ag particles is found to occur preferentially along the embossed nanowires. By imaging domain configurations of the embossed films using the piezoresponse force microscope, the spatially selective deposition of Ag particles can be associated with the underlying ferroelectric domain structures created by the nanoembossing process. The controllable and selective deposition of metal species onto nanoembossed ferroelectric nanostructures without the need for an external electrical field is promising for providing a new route to nanoferroelectric lithography.