Nanochannels' fabrication using Kirkendall effect

Evidences of nanochannel formation based on Kirkendall effect have been previously reported for oxide nanowires covered with a thin alumina shell layer. Here we will investigate the nanochannel formation on an in situ pulsed laser deposition (PLD) fabricated structure of iron oxide shell layer over ZnO and MgO nanowire core and will compare with the alumina shell layer results. In all (four) cases a chemical reaction takes place on the interface producing a spinel buffer layer. Nanochannel formation process could be understood based on material diffusion coefficients through the spinel buffer layer but shell layer crystal structure seems to play a significant role.