title: Operating principles of in-plane silicon nanowires at simple step-edges.
abstract: Growing silicon nanowires (SiNWs) into precise locations is a key enabling technology for SiNW-based device applications. This can be achieved via in-plane growth of SiNWs along a simple step-edge, where metal catalyst droplets absorb an amorphous Si matrix to produce c-SiNWs. However, a comprehensive understanding of this phenomenon is still lacking. We here establish an analytical model to address the driving force that dictates the growth dynamics under various droplet-step contact configurations, and to identify the key control parameters for effective guided growth. These new principles were verified against a series of experimental observations and proved to be powerful in designing a stable guided growth configuration. Furthermore, we propose and demonstrate a unique ability to achieve in situ capturing, guiding and release of the in-plane SiNWs along curved step-edges. We suggest that such a new understanding and results provide a fundamental basis and a practical guide for positioning and integrating self-assembled nanowires in a wide variety of material systems.
authors.affiliation: National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and School of Electronics Science and Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, 210093, Nanjing, China. yulinwei@nju.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Mingkun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Zhaoguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Linwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Shengyi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Junzhuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Kunji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Pere
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roca i Cabarrocas