Direct fabrication of zero- and one-dimensional metal nanocrystals by thermally assisted electromigration.
Zero- and one-dimensional metal nanocrystals were successfully fabricated with accurate control in size, shape, and position on semiconductor surfaces by using a novel in situ fabrication method of the nanocrystal with a biasing tungsten tip in transmission electron microscopy. The dominant mechanism of nanocrystal formation was identified mainly as local Joule heating-assisted electromigration through the direct observation of formation and growth processes of the nanocrystal. This method was applied to extracting metal atoms with an exceedingly faster growth rate ( approximately 10(5) atoms/s) from a metal-oxide thin film to form a metal nanocrystal with any desired size and position. By real-time observation of the microstructure and concurrent electrical measurements, it was found that the nanostructure formation can be completely controlled into various shapes such as zero-dimensional nanodots and one-dimensional nanowires/nanorods.
Yuk
Jong Min
JM
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Korea.
Kim
Kwanpyo
K
Lee
Zonghoon
Z
Watanabe
Masashi
M
Zettl
A
A
Kim
Tae Whan
TW
No
Young Soo
YS
Choi
Won Kook
WK
Lee
Jeong Yong
JY
D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D004595:Electroplating / Q000379:methods*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008422:Materials Testing; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods*; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008670:Metals