AuPd CATALYTIC NANOPARTICLE SIZE EFFECT ON THE FORMATION OF AMORPHOUS SILICON NANOWIRES

Amorphous silicon (a-Si) nanowires have been prepared on SiO₂/Si substrates by AuPd nanoparticles / silane reaction method. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the samples. The typical a-Si nanowires we obtained are of a uniform diameter about 20 nm and length up to several micrometers. The growth mechanism of the nanowires seems to be the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. The catalytic particle size effect on the formation of the nanowires and the cause of forming amorphous state Si nanowires are discussed.