Si nanowire growth on sapphire: Classical incubation, reverse reaction, and steady state supersaturation
- Materials Research Centre, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore 560 012 (India)
- Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India)
Si nanowire growth on sapphire substrates by the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method using Au catalyst particles has been studied. Sapphire was chosen as the substrate to ensure that the vapor phase is the only source of Si. Three hitherto unreported observations are described. First, an incubation period of 120–480 s, which is shown to be the incubation period as defined in classical nucleation theory, is reported. This incubation period permits the determination of a desolvation energy of Si from Au-Si alloys of 15 kT. Two, transmission electron microscopy studies of incubation, point to Si loss by reverse reaction as an important part of the mechanism of Si nanowire growth by VLS. Three, calculations using these physico-chemical parameters determined from incubation and measured steady state growth rates of Si nanowires show that wire growth happens from a supersaturated catalyst droplet.
- OSTI ID:
- 22402929
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 16; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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