For nanowire growth, vapor-solid-solid (vapor-solid) mechanism is actually vapor-quasisolid-solid (vapor-quasiliquid-solid) mechanism.

Vapor-phase mechanisms [e.g., vapor-liquid-solid (VLS), vapor-solid-solid, oxide-assisted growth, and the self-catalytic growth mechanisms] for the unidirectional nanowire (NW) growth are not yet well understood. For this understanding, growths of GaN and InN NWs in our laboratory, without and with the assistance of foreign element catalytic agents (FECAs), such as Au and In, were performed. GaN NW growth, in the presence of FECA identical withNi, was possible at temperatures below the Ni/Ga eutectic temperature. InN NWs were grown, in the presence of Au, and at temperatures in the vicinity of Au/In eutectic temperature. They were found to have Au at the NW tip, NW base, and NW sidewalls. Extensive investigation of the fundamentals underlying these anomalies has been carried out. The temperature dependence of the VLS mechanism has also been elucidated. A large number of available elemental and compound semiconductor NWs exhibiting similar characteristics have been considered for the investigation. Based on this investigation, a chemicophysical mechanism called the vapor-quasisolid-solid (VQS) (or vapor-semisolid-solid, or vapor-quasiliquid-solid, or vapor-semiliquid-solid) mechanism has been proposed. The cause of temperature dependence of the VLS growth under different growth conditions and growth environments, and the possible relationship between the VLS and the VQS mechanisms has been presented. To better describe the vapor-phase mechanisms, including the VQS mechanism, a unified definition of droplets has been proposed. A series of experimental evidences has been set forth to substantiate the validity of the proposed mechanism, and to justify the definition of the unified droplet model. They together appear to explain the fundamental basis of the NW growth by various mechanisms, including the VQS mechanisms. They also provide solutions of many known problems, conflicts, confusions, and controversies involving NW growth.

Phase separations of single-crystal nanowires grown by self-catalytic chemical vapor deposition method.

The fundamentals of phase separations of single-crystal III-V nitride nanowires grown by self-catalytic chemical vapor deposition method have been studied. Experimental tools, such as high resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, have been used to characterize the nanowires. The study indicates that nanowires with diameters exceeding about 100 nm undergo phase transitions and/or crystal structure deterioration. The study highlights a relationship between the crystal structure and the kinetics of growth of nanowires.

Doping induced surface chemistry dictating the characteristics of Schottky contacts to III-V nitride semiconductors.

While lightly doped semiconductors are preferred for Schottky contacts, heavily doped semiconductors are preferred for Ohmic contacts. The upper limit of doping for Schottky contacts and the lower limit of doping for Ohmic contacts have not, however, been quantified. To address this problem, the influence of doping induced surface chemistry on the electrical characteristics of Schottky diodes has been studied. Hall measurement, current-voltage measurements, and transmission electron microscopy have been performed. The most remarkable observation of the study is a relationship between the surface dislocation density and the ideality factor of the Schottky diodes. The observation leads to a conclusion that the upper limit of the semiconductor doping for Schottky diodes should be such that it leads to negligible barrier height reduction without the creation of excessive surface dislocation density.

Self-catalysis: a contamination-free, substrate-free growth mechanism for single-crystal nanowire and nanotube growth by chemical vapor deposition.

A unified mechanism for the growth of a wide variety of long, uniform, single-crystal nanowires and whiskers, including III-V and II-VI binary, ternary, and quaternary nanowires and whiskers, without the use of any substrate and catalyst has been presented. While elucidating the mechanism, attempts have been made to provide a kinetic and thermodynamic rationale for the growth. Various features of the growth mechanism, including the formation of liquid droplets and seeds, nucleation, and creation of products, have been discussed. Extensive studies of illustrative examples provide the validity of the proposed mechanism. The influence of various parameters such as growth temperature and chamber pressure on the growth mechanism has been studied. The advantages and disadvantages of the proposed mechanism, and its superiority to the well-known vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, have been elucidated. Means to improve the mechanism to obtain self-aligned nanowires and whiskers have been suggested. Based on these, it has been demonstrated that the present mechanism is indeed a powerful self-catalytic growth mechanism uniquely suited to the growth of a wide variety of single-crystal nanowires and whiskers. It can be very useful also for the growth of single-crystal nanotubes.