Structures and Properties of Quasi-Multilayered Nanocomposites

<jats:title>ABSTRACT</jats:title><jats:p>Vertical sections of multilayers (VSM) should provide excellent testing grounds for physics and chemistry on surfaces with densely populated heterogeneous interfaces. Although VSM can be obtained from usual horizontal multilayers stacks by crushing them into pieces or by partial ion etching through masks from the top surfaces, a better way to get VSM is to form vertical multilayers. Employing simultaneous oblique deposition of ZnTe and SiO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> from opposite azimuthal directions, we have obtained nanometer-scale heterogeneous structures with anisotropie optical properties for the light coming perpendicularly to the surface. TEM revealed that successive annealing caused relaxation and recrystalllzation of ZnTe in the framework of SiO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> porous nano-structure. The resultant mosaic image of dark ZnTe regions and bright Sio<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> regions of 5–10 nm wide and 30nm (or more) long told the development of VSM over the substrate although the perfect periodicity and two-dimensionality were missing. The structural modification of these quasi-multilayers was studied making reference to the similar but horizontal system of ZnTe particles periodically buried between Sio<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> isolation layers.</jats:p>