Segmented nanowires of HgTe and Te grown by molecular beam epitaxy

Journal Article · Mon Mar 31 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2898166· OSTI ID:21120671

Haakenaasen, R; Selvig, E; Trosdahl-Iversen, L ^[1]; Foss, S; Taftoe, J ^[2]

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1. Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, P.O. Box 25, NO-2027 Kjeller (Norway)
2. Department of Physics, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1048 Blindern, NO-0316 Oslo (Norway)

Heterostructured nanowires consisting of alternating segments of HgTe and Te have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The cubic <111>HgTe and the hexagonal <001>Te directions are oriented along the wire. The 15-70 nm wide, 0.5-1.5 {mu}m long wires are nucleated at Au particles and grow laterally on Si substrates, but they are not epitaxially coupled to the substrates. An excess of Te relative to Hg during growth could explain the segmentation, as the bulk phase diagram then allows only HgTe and elemental Te. Alternating between these two phases is facilitated by the epitaxial match between the HgTe and Te segments.

• OSTI ID: 21120671
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 92, Issue 13; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2898166; (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL GROWTH
GOLD
MERCURY TELLURIDES
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
NUCLEATION
PARTICLES
PHASE DIAGRAMS
QUANTUM WIRES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON
SUBSTRATES
TELLURIUM