title: Atomically abrupt silicon-germanium axial heterostructure nanowires synthesized in a solvent vapor growth system.
abstract: The growth of Si/Ge axial heterostructure nanowires in high yield using a versatile wet chemical approach is reported. Heterostructure growth is achieved using the vapor zone of a high boiling point solvent as a reaction medium with an evaporated tin layer as the catalyst. The low solubility of Si and Ge within the Sn catalyst allows the formation of extremely abrupt heterojunctions of the order of just 1-2 atomic planes between the Si and Ge nanowire segments. The compositional abruptness was confirmed using aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy and atomic level electron energy loss spectroscopy. Additional analysis focused on the role of crystallographic defects in determining interfacial abruptness and the preferential incorporation of metal catalyst atoms near twin defects in the nanowires.
authors.affiliation: Materials and Surface Science Institute and Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Hugh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Geaney
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mullane
authors.forename: Quentin M
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Ramasse
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ryan
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D005857:Germanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D036103:Nanotechnology; D053770:Nanowires / Q000737:chemistry*; D012666:Semiconductors; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents
chemical_list: D005740:Gases; D012997:Solvents; D005857:Germanium; D012825:Silicon