Vapor liquid solid-hydride vapor phase epitaxy (VLS-HVPE) growth of ultra-long defect-free GaAs nanowires: ab initio simulations supporting center nucleation.
High aspect ratio, rod-like and single crystal phase GaAs nanowires (NWs) were grown by gold catalyst-assisted hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE). High resolution transmission electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy revealed polytypism-free zinc blende (ZB) NWs over lengths of several tens of micrometers for a mean diameter of 50 nm. Micro-photoluminescence studies of individual NWs showed linewidths smaller than those reported elsewhere which is consistent with the crystalline quality of the NWs. HVPE makes use of chloride growth precursors GaCl of which high decomposition frequency after adsorption onto the liquid droplet catalysts, favors a direct and rapid introduction of the Ga atoms from the vapor phase into the droplets. High influxes of Ga and As species then yield high axial growth rate of more than 100 μm/h. The diffusion of the Ga atoms in the liquid droplet towards the interface between the liquid and the solid nanowire was investigated by using density functional theory calculations. The diffusion coefficient of Ga atoms was estimated to be 3 × 10(-9) m(2)/s. The fast diffusion of Ga in the droplet favors nucleation at the liquid-solid line interface at the center of the NW. This is further evidence, provided by an alternative epitaxial method with respect to metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy and molecular beam epitaxy, of the current assumption which states that this type of nucleation should always lead to the formation of the ZB cubic phase.
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Yamina
Y
André
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Kaddour
K
Lekhal
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Philip
P
Hoggan
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Geoffrey
G
Avit
Physique de la matière condensée, Ecole Polytechnique CNRS, Palaiseau, France.
Fabian
F
Cadiz
Physique de la matière condensée, Ecole Polytechnique CNRS, Palaiseau, France.
Alistair
A
Rowe
Physique de la matière condensée, Ecole Polytechnique CNRS, Palaiseau, France.
Daniel
D
Paget
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut de Chimie de Clermont-Ferrand, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Elodie
E
Petit
Université de Toulon, IM2NP, Bât. R, B.P. 20132, 83957 La Garde Cedex, France.
Christine
C
Leroux
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Agnès
A
Trassoudaine
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
M Réda
MR
Ramdani
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Guillaume
G
Monier
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
David
D
Colas
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Rabih
R
Ajib
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Dominique
D
Castelluci
Clermont Université, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut Pascal, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
Evelyne
E
Gil