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Published on: November 15, 2013
Pressure-modulated alloy composition in Si((1-x))Ge(x) nanowires
1School of Chemistry, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
Nano Letters
|April 17, 2009
Summary
Growth pressure precisely controls silicon-germanium (Si((1-x))Ge(x)) nanowire composition, enabling tunable electronic and optoelectronic properties. This method offers a straightforward way to engineer nanowire characteristics without side effects.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Semiconductor Physics
Background:
- Silicon-germanium (Si((1-x))Ge(x)) nanowires (NWs) are key components for advanced electronics and optoelectronics.
- Their tunable physical properties are primarily achieved by controlling chemical composition.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the influence of growth pressure on Si((1-x))Ge(x) NWs.
- Determine the effect of pressure on composition, growth/tapering rates, and crystalline structure.
Main Methods:
- Chemical Vapor Deposition-Vapor-Liquid-Solid (CVD-VLS) technique.
- Systematic variation of total growth pressure while maintaining other parameters constant.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated precise modulation of Si((1-x))Ge(x) NW composition (x=0.75 to x=0.25) solely by adjusting growth pressure.
- Observed no adverse structural or morphological side effects from pressure alteration.
- Identified pressure-dependent precursor decomposition as the mechanism for composition control.
Conclusions:
- Growth pressure is the most critical parameter for tailoring Si((1-x))Ge(x)) NW properties like mobility and band gap.
- A cooperative growth mechanism explains pressure-dependent and enhanced growth rates.
