Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 22, 2026

Probing C84-embedded Si Substrate Using Scanning Probe Microscopy and Molecular Dynamics
Published on: September 28, 2016
Silicon carbide embedded in carbon nanofibres: structure and band gap determination
Anja Bonatto Minella1, Darius Pohl, Christine Täschner
1Institute for Metallic Materials, IFW Dresden, P.O. Box 270116, D-01171 Dresden, Germany. b.rellinghaus@ifw-dresden.de.
Abstract:
Materials drastically alter their electronic properties when being reduced to the nanoscale due to quantum effects. Concerning semiconductors, the band gap is expected to broaden as a result of the quantum confinement. In this study we report on the successful synthesis of wide bandgap SiC nanowires (with great potential for applications) and the local determination of their band gap. Their value was found to be higher with respect to bulk SiC. The nanowires are grown as a heterostructure, i.e. encapsulated in carbon nanofibres via dc hot-filament Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition on the Si/SiO2 substrate. The structure of the as-produced carbon nanofibres was characterized by means of aberration-corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Two different pure SiC polytypes, namely the 3C (cubic) and the 6H (hexagonal) as well as distorted structures are observed. The SiC nanowires have diameters in the range of 10-15 nm and lengths of several hundred nanometers. The formation of the SiC is a result of the substrate etching during the growth of the CNFs and a subsequent simultaneous diffusion of not only carbon, but also silicon through the catalyst particle.
Related Concept Videos
Energy Bands in Solids
Band Formation:
When atoms are brought close together, as in a solid, these discrete energy levels begin to split due to the overlap of electron orbitals from adjacent atoms. This split occurs because of the Pauli exclusion principle, which states...
Semiconductors
Metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), or lead (Pb) have low resistivity and feature conduction bands that are either not fully occupied or overlap with the valence band, making a bandgap non-existent. This allows electrons in the highest energy levels of the valence band to easily transition to the conduction band upon gaining...
Band Theory
The energy difference between these bands is known as the band gap.
Conductor, Semiconductor,...
Types of Semiconductors
Network Covalent Solids
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...

