Nucleation mechanism of gallium-assisted molecular beam epitaxy growth of gallium arsenide nanowires

Journal Article · Mon Feb 11 00:00:00 EST 2008 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2837191· OSTI ID:21016337

Fontcuberta i Morral, A; Colombo, C; Abstreiter, G; Arbiol, J; Morante, J R ^[1]

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1. Walter Schottky Institut, Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Am Coulombwall 3, 85748 Garching (Germany)

Molecular beam epitaxy Ga-assisted synthesis of GaAs nanowires is demonstrated. The nucleation and growth are seen to be related to the presence of a SiO{sub 2} layer previously deposited on the GaAs wafer. The interaction of the reactive gallium with the SiO{sub 2} pinholes induces the formation of nanocraters, found to be the key for the nucleation of the nanowires. With SiO{sub 2} thicknesses up to 30 nm, nanocraters reach the underlying substrate, resulting into a preferential growth orientation of the nanowires. Possibly related to the formation of nanocraters, we observe an incubation period of 258 s before the nanowires growth is initiated.

• OSTI ID: 21016337
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 92, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2837191; (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
GALLIUM
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
LAYERS
MOLECULAR BEAM EPITAXY
NUCLEATION
QUANTUM WIRES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON OXIDES
SUBSTRATES
THICKNESS