Gold-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid germanium-nanowire nucleation on porous silicon.
Nanoporous Si(111) substrates are used to study the effects of Au catalyst coarsening on the nucleation of vapor-liquid-solid-synthesized epitaxial Ge nanowires (NWs) at temperatures less than 400 degrees C. Porous Si substrates, with greater effective interparticle separations for Au surface diffusion than nonporous Si, inhibit catalyst coarsening and agglomeration prior to NW nucleation. This greatly reduces the variation in wire diameter and length and increases the yield compared to nucleation on identically prepared nonporous Si substrates.
Koto
Makoto
M
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, 476 Lomita Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-4045, USA.
Marshall
Ann F
AF
Goldthorpe
Irene A
IA
McIntyre
Paul C
PC
D002384:Catalysis; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D005857:Germanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D010316:Particle Size; D044367:Phase Transition; D016062:Porosity; D012666:Semiconductors; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D005857:Germanium; D006046:Gold; D012825:Silicon