goldcatalyzed oxide nanopatterns for the directed assembly of ge island arrays on si the heteroepitaxial growth of ge on aupatterned si001 is investigated using in situ spectromicroscopy patterning of a hydrogenterminated si surface with a square array of au dots followed by brief exposure to air leads to the spontaneous local oxidation of si the resulting oxide nanopattern limits the surface migration of au during annealing up to 600 degrees c resulting in complete preservation of the au pattern subsequent deposition of ge induces a redistribution of au across the surface even as the oxide nanopattern persists as a result the oxide pattern drives the growth of ge islands into an ordered assembly while au decorates the surfaces of the ge islands and modifies their shape