Jumping-catalyst dynamics in nanowire growth

Nanowire growth is generally considered a steady-state process, but oscillatory phenomena are known to often play a fundamental role. Here we identify a natural sequence of distinct growth modes, in two of which the catalyst droplet jumps periodically on and off a crystal facet. The oscillatory modes result from a mismatch between catalyst size and wire diameter; they enable growth of straight smooth-sided wires even when the droplet is too small to span the wire tip. Jumping-catalyst growth modes are seen both in computer simulations of vapor-liquid-solid growth, and in movies of Si nanowire growth obtained by in situ microscopy. Our simulations also provide new insight into nanowire kinking.