Deposition and structural characterization of nanostructured RuO2 on rutile-TiO2/sapphire(100) templates by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering

► RuO2 nanocrystals (NCs) on rutile (R)-TiO2 nanorods (NRs)/sapphire(100). ► Electron microscopy analyses show well-aligned, vertical RuO2 NCs on R-TiO2 NRs. ► Isostructural interface and c-directional growth of hetero-NCs of RuO2/R-TiO2.