[The study on energy band structure of silicon nanowires with XPS]

Silicon nanowires were obtained via oxide-assisted method, which was operated in a high temperature furnace at 1250 degrees C under 1000 Pa for 5 h using Ar as carrier gas. The silicon nanowires were etched with 5% HF aqueous solution for 5 min, and reacted with 1 X 10(-3) mol X L(-1) AuCL3 solution, and Au-modified silicon nanowires were obtained. The crystal structure of the products was characterized with XRD, and both of the patterns of Si and Au were observed. The morphology checked with SEM and TEM indicated large scale uniform silicon nanowires and Au particles on the surface of silicon nanowires. The average diameter of Au nanoparticls was 8 nm. The energy band structures obtained with XPS showed that gold nanoparticles are in negative charge and exist both at donor and acceptor levels. The Fermi level moved towards the top of valence band due to oxygen.