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Oxidation-Induced Anisotropic Subsurface Segregation in SnTe Nanowires
Dorota Janaszko1, Piotr Dziawa1,2, Jakub Polaczyński2
1Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Al. Lotników 32/46, PL-02668 Warsaw, Poland.
Chemistry of Materials : a Publication of the American Chemical Society
|August 14, 2026
Summary
This study reveals complex oxidation in topological crystalline insulator (TCI) SnTe nanowires (NWs). A two-step mechanism involving diffusion and vacancy-assisted ion migration explains the unusual elemental distribution during oxidation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Solid State Physics
Background:
- Topological crystalline insulators (TCIs) like SnTe nanowires (NWs) are promising materials for advanced electronic applications.
- Understanding their oxidation behavior is crucial for device stability and integration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the structural and chemical properties of SnTe NWs after oxidation.
- To elucidate the oxidation mechanisms in SnTe NWs grown by different methods (autocatalytic and gold-assisted) using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and physical vapor deposition (PVD).
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional studies of oxidized SnTe NWs.
- Elemental distribution analysis.
- Investigation of oxidation mechanisms including Cabrera-Mott model and Kirkendall effect.
Main Results:
- Observed unusual anisotropic elemental distribution and complex oxidation behavior in SnTe NWs.
- Proposed a two-step oxidation mechanism involving surface oxide formation and interdiffusion (Kirkendall effect).
- Identified crystalline filament formation and ion migration channels during oxidation; gold (Au) catalysis suppressed oxygen adsorption.
Conclusions:
- The study clarifies the interface stability and oxidation processes in IV-VI semiconductor nanostructures.
- Provides insights into the role of intrinsic cation vacancies and diffusion in oxidation.
- Offers guidance for the integration of SnTe NWs in electronic devices.
