Letter abstract
Nature Nanotechnology 2, 541 - 544 (2007)
Published online: 2 September 2007 | doi:10.1038/nnano.2007.263
Subject Categories: Nanomaterials | Synthesis and processing
Synergetic nanowire growth
Magnus T. Borgström1, George Immink1, Bas Ketelaars1, Rienk Algra1 & Erik P.A.M. Bakkers1
Abstract
Interest in nanowires continues to grow because they hold the promise of monolithic integration of high-performance semiconductors with new functionality1, 2, 3, 4, 5 into existing silicon technology6, 7, 8. Most nanowires are grown using vapour–liquid–solid growth9, and despite many years of study this growth mechanism remains under lively debate. In particular, the role of the metal particle is unclear10, 11, 12. For instance, contradictory results have been reported on the effect of particle size on nanowire growth rate13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Additionally, nanowire growth from a patterned array of catalysts19, 20 has shown that small wire-to-wire spacing leads to materials competition and a reduction in growth rates21. Here, we report on a counterintuitive synergetic effect resulting in an increase of the growth rate for decreasing wire-to-wire distance. We show that the growth rate is proportional to the catalyst area fraction. The effect has its origin in the catalytic decomposition of precursors and is applicable to a variety of nanowire materials and growth techniques.
- Philips Research Laboratories, High Tech Campus 4, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Correspondence to: Erik P.A.M. Bakkers1 e-mail: erik.bakkers@philips.com
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