Influence of indium and phosphine on Au-catalyzed InP nanowire growth on Si substrates

Steven Tyler Boles, Carl V. Thompson, Eugene A. Fitzgerald

Research output: Journal article publicationJournal articleAcademic researchpeer-review

21 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The growth of InP nanowires by the VLS mechanism on Si 〈1 1 1〉 substrates with varying pre-growth treatments was investigated. When Au-catalyst particles were treated with trimethylindium before growth there was an increase in the fraction of catalyst particles yielding wire growth and in the number of these wires growing vertically from the substrate. This was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy revealed that Au-catalyst particles exposed to PH3before growth did not alloy with the underlying Si substrate. InP wires were also grown using Ag catalyst particles which do not alloy with the Si substrate. However, wire growth does not appear to be inhibited in this case. These results suggest that P is the primary cause for the both lack of growth from some catalyst particles and growth in directions other than the vertical 〈1 1 1〉 direction of the substrate.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1446-1450
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Crystal Growth
Volume311
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • A1. Nanostructures
  • A3. Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition
  • B1. Phosphides
  • B2. Semiconducting III-V materials

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Materials Chemistry
  • Inorganic Chemistry

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