Size effects in vapor-solid-solid Ge nanowire growth with a Ni-based catalyst.

Autor: Thombare, S. V., Marshall, A. F., McIntyre, P. C.
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Applied Physics; Sep2012, Vol. 112 Issue 5, p054325, 6p
Abstrakt: We report a dramatic size effect on the morphology of Ge nanowires synthesized by low-temperature vapor-solid-solid (VSS) growth using a NiGe catalyst. Nanowires with diameter greater than 25 nm are <111>-oriented, have a high density of grown-in defects, and exhibit frequent kinking. However, nanowires with diameter below 25 nm are straight, despite also having a substantial density of crystal defects. The latter wires grow preferentially in the <110> direction. The absence of kinking in the small nanowires coincides with the observation of a low-energy, epitaxial NiGe/Ge interface. Our results show that the occurrence of (1) this solid-solid epitaxial interface and (2) the low-energy sidewall facets of the <110> wire orientation strongly bias the Ni-Ge binary system toward kink-free nanowire growth in the VSS regime. We further demonstrate that kinking in larger nanowires occurs via multiple twinning events facilitated by the slow growth and anisotropic catalyst/wire interfaces typical of VSS growth. Such effects are expected in other VSS systems where a range of nanowire morphologies are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Databáze: Complementary Index