RESUMO
The effect of Sb addition on the growth rate and structural properties of Si nanowires synthesized by vapor-liquid-solid growth was investigated. The nanowire growth rate was reduced by an order of magnitude following the addition of a low concentration pulse of trimethylantimony (TMSb) to the gas phase during growth. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the wires had a thick amorphous coating ( approximately 8 nm) around the catalyst particle and a distorted catalyst shape. Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy showed the presence of trace amounts of Sb in the amorphous coating around the catalyst and at the catalyst-wire interface. Antimony was also found to be incorporated in the Si nanowires with a peak in the Sb concentration measured at the initial point where the TMSb pulse was added to the gas stream. The significant reduction in wire growth rate was attributed to Sb segregation at the vapor-liquid and liquid-solid interfaces which results in a change in interfacial energies and a reduction in the rate of Si incorporation at these interfaces.
RESUMO
A strong diameter dependence is observed in the interfacial abruptness and growth rates in Si/Si 1- x Ge x axial heterostructure nanowires grown via Au-mediated low pressure CVD using silane and germane precursors. The growth of these nanowires has similarities to that of heterostructure thin films with similar compositional interfacial broadening, which increases with and is on the order with diameter. This broadening may reveal a fundamental challenge to fabrication of abrupt heterostructures via VLS growth.
RESUMO
Diameter-dependent compositions of Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires grown by a vapor-liquid-solid mechanism using SiH(4) and GeH(4) precursors are studied by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy. For the growth conditions studied, the Ge concentration in Si(1-x)Ge(x) nanowires shows a strong dependence on nanowire diameter, with the Ge concentration decreasing with decreasing nanowire diameter below approximately 50 nm. The size-dependent nature of Ge concentration in Si(1-x)Ge(x) NWs is strongly suggestive of Gibbs-Thomson effects and highlights another important phenomenon in nanowire growth.