Epitaxial vapor-liquid-solid growth of silicon nano-whiskers by electron beam evaporation

• Published in: Physica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Vol. 203; no. 15; pp. 3692 - 3698
• Main Authors: Sivakov, V., Andrä, G., Gösele, U., Christiansen, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin WILEY-VCH Verlag 01-12-2006; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: 61.46.Hk; 68.37.Hk; 68.37.Lp; 68.70.+w; 81.15.Jj; 81.16.Hc; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Interfaces; Transmission electron microscopy; Growth rate; Growth mechanism; Molecular beam epitaxy; VLS growth; Silicon; Defect structure; Microstructure; Ultrahigh vacuum; Nanostructured materials; Electron beam evaporation
• ISSN: 1862-6300; 1862-6319
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.200622156

Epitaxial silicon nanowhiskers (NWs) were grown on Si(111) substrates by electron beam evaporation (EBE) in a non‐ultra high vacuum environment (base pressure 1–2 × 10–7 Torr). Comparably low growth temperatures between 575 and 675 °C were realized making use of the gold driven 1D growth by the vapor‐liquid‐solid (VLS) growth mechanism. Diameters and lengths of the NWs were observed in the ranges between 50 and 200 nm and 200 and 670 nm, respectively. A maximum NW growth velocity of 5 nm/min was realized for the evaporation current of 35 mA. This value determines particle flux and thus growth velocity and is at the lower end of evaporation currents studied so far. But a value that yields a growth velocity comparable to the one realized by the more intensively studied ultra‐high vacuum molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) method. The EBE NW morphology, defect structure and the interface between NWs and substrate are characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) techniques. The NW material from EBE is compared to NWs grown by MBE and similarities and differences are pointed out. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)