title: Pressure-induced structural phase transformations in silicon nanowires.
abstract: High-pressure structural behavior of silicon nanowires is investigated up to approximately 22 GPa using angle dispersive X-ray diffraction measurements. Silicon nanowires transform from the cubic to the beta-tin phase at 7.5-10.5 GPa, to the Imma phase at approximately 14 GPa, and to the primitive hexagonal structure at approximately 16.2 GPa. On complete release of pressure, it transforms to the metastable R8 phase. The observed sequence of phase transitions is the same as that of bulk silicon. Though the X-ray diffraction experiments do not reveal any size effect, the pressure dependence of Raman modes shows that the behavior of nanowires is in between that of the bulk crystal and porous Si.
authors: Synchrotron Radiation Section, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
authors: H K
authors: HK
authors: Poswal
authors: Nandini
authors: N
authors: Garg
authors: Surinder M
authors: SM
authors: Sharma
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Busetto
authors: S K
authors: SK
authors: Sikka
authors: Gautam
authors: G
authors: Gundiah
authors: F L
authors: FL
authors: Deepak
authors: C N R
authors: CN
authors: Rao
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D003461:Crystallography; D004559:Electric Wiring; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D044367:Phase Transition; D011312:Pressure; D012825:Silicon / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012825:Silicon