Growth of epitaxial silicon nanowires on a Si substrate by a metal-catalyst-free process.

ABSTRACT: The growth of epitaxial Si nanowires by a metal-catalyst-free process has been investigated as an alternative to the more common metal-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid process. The well-aligned Si nanowires are successfully grown on a (111)-oriented Si substrate without any metal catalysts by a thermal treatment using silicon sulfide as a Si source at approximately 1200?°C. The needle-shaped Si nanowires, which have a core-shell structure that consists of a single-crystalline Si core along the <111> direction consistent with the substrate direction and a surface coating of silicon oxide, are grown by a metal-catalyst-free process. In this process, the silicon sulfide in the liquid phase facilitates the nucleation and nanowire growth. In contrast, oxygen-rich nanowires that consist of crystalline Si at the tip and lumpy silicon oxide on the body are observed in a sample grown at 1300?°C, which disturbs the epitaxial growth of Si nanowires.

SUBMITTER: Ishiyama T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4964331 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature