Abstract Silicon nanowires have been grown by the thermal decomposition of silane via the vapour-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. Three different stages of VLS growth (eutectic alloy formation, crystal nucleation and unidirectional growth) were studied separately using a scanning electron microscope and a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. Very short silicon nanowires prepared under particular conditions provide direct evidence of the VLS mechanism on a nanometre scale. Our results will be very helpful for the controllable synthesis of Si nanowires.
Received: 23 January 2002
Revised: 19 June 2002
Accepted manuscript online:
Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos 60071015 and 50025206) and by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No 2001CB610503).
Cite this article:
Xing Ying-Jie (邢英杰), Yu Da-Peng (俞大鹏), Xi Zhong-He (奚中和), Xue Zeng-Quan (薛增泉) Investigation of the growth process of Si nanowires using the vapour-liquid-solid mechanism 2002 Chinese Physics 11 1047
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