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Updated: Jan 26, 2026

Monolayer Contact Doping of Silicon Surfaces and Nanowires Using Organophosphorus Compounds
Published on: December 2, 2013
In Situ TEM of Phosphorus-Dopant-Induced Nanopore Formation in Delithiated Silicon Nanowires
Jiakun Zhu1, Mohan Guo2, Yuemei Liu1
1Department of Mechanics , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan , Hubei 430074 , China.
Abstract:
Through in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation, we report the behaviors of phosphorus (P)-doped silicon nanowires (SiNWs) during electrochemical lithiation/delithiation cycling. Upon lithiation, lithium (Li) insertion causes volume expansion and formation of the crystalline Li15Si4 phase in the P-doped SiNWs. During delithiation, vacancies induced by Li extraction aggregate gradually, leading to the generation of nanopores. The as-formed nanopores can get annihilated with Li reinsertion during the following electrochemical cycle. As demonstrated by our phase-field simulations, such first-time-observed reversible nanopore formation can be attributed to the promoted lithiation/delithiation rate by the P dopant in the SiNWs. Our phase-field simulations further reveal that the delithiation-induced nanoporous structures can be controlled by tuning the electrochemical reaction rate in the SiNWs. The findings of this study shed light on the rational design of high-power performance Si-based anodes.
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