Quasi unidimensional growth of Co nanostructures on a strained Au(111) surface

► Uniaxially-strained Au(111) surface as template for undimensional nanostructures. ► Co elongated dots obtained by controlling diffusion of adatoms with temperature. ► Pt seed layer triggers Co nucleation that then coalesce forming elongated dots. ► Co dots are elongated along the same direction on a macroscopic scale.