Radiation-induced nanostructures: Formation processes and applications

Radiation-induced nanostructure formation is ubiquitous. It is routinely used in lithography employing photons and masks, or in the form of focused electron beams following a maskless approach for pattern definition in a radiation-sensitive resist, also commonly known as electron beam lithography. Examples of this are found in this Thematic Series covering the topics of selected-area silicon nanowire growth by the vapor–liquid–solid approach and the preparation of monolayers of metal–organic frameworks attached to the functional groups of a self-assembled monolayer (see, e.g., [1-4]).