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Guiding vapor-liquid-solid nanowire growth using SiO2.
Nathaniel J Quitoriano1, Wei Wu, Theodore I Kamins
1Information and Quantum Systems Laboratory, Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
Nanotechnology
|May 8, 2009
Summary
Researchers guided silicon nanowire (Si NW) growth using SiO(2) surfaces, enabling controlled growth in various directions. This VLS growth mechanism remains consistent, offering new possibilities for NW fabrication.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Semiconductor Physics
Background:
- Vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) nanowire (NW) growth typically follows specific crystallographic directions.
- Controlling NW growth direction is crucial for advanced device applications.
- Existing methods often lack precise directional control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate controlled growth of silicon nanowires (Si NWs) in specific crystallographic directions using guiding structures.
- To investigate the influence of guiding surfaces on the VLS growth mechanism.
- To explore the potential for guiding NW growth with various materials.
Main Methods:
- Utilized guiding structures made of SiO(2) surfaces to direct Si NW growth.
- Grew Si NWs with diameters ranging from 20 to 100 nm.
- Employed silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers with a (001) substrate orientation.
Main Results:
- Successfully guided Si NW growth in both [001] and <110> directions.
- Achieved in-plane NW growth against a buried oxide layer and perpendicular growth relative to the substrate.
- Confirmed that the VLS growth mechanism remains unchanged, with growth occurring via {111} plane addition.
Conclusions:
- Guiding structures effectively control Si NW growth direction without altering the fundamental VLS mechanism.
- Removed guiding surfaces allow NWs to revert to their natural growth directions.
- Amorphous and nearly immiscible materials are promising candidates for guiding NW growth.
