Ultrathin Alumina Films as Nano-Templates for Metals Deposition

It is widely accepted that the self-assembling nanostructure of metals, semiconductors and organic molecules with a welldefined spatial order is one of the promising ways of engineering new materials. Recent years have revealed substantial progress in fabricating metal nanoparticles on ultrathin oxide films due to their ordered surface and novel electronic structures. In this article, we first briefly introduce the preparation, surface structures and physical properties of ultrathin alumina films on different metal- and alloysubstrates, which result in different structures of alumina films. Secondly, the deposition of metal nanoparticles on these ultrathin alumina films that are mainly prepared on the NixAl alloy surfaces is reviewed from the aspects of electronic properties, surface morphology & thermal stability, and physical & chemical properties, because the ordered alumina films can be more easily prepared by oxidation of these Al-alloy surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum conditions.