Growth of silicon oxide nanowires at low temperature using tin hydroxide catalyst

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth Vol. 320; no. 1; pp. 55 - 62
• Main Authors: Carole, Davy, Brioude, Arnaud, Pillonnet, Anne, Lorenzzi, Jean, Kim-Hak, Olivier, Cauwet, François, Ferro, Gabriel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-04-2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: A2. Growth from melt; A3. Liquid phase epitaxy; B1. Oxides; B2. Silicon oxide; Catalysts; Chemical Sciences; Chemistry; Condensed Matter; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Crystal defects; Crystal growth; Engineering Sciences; Etching; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; General, apparatus; Inorganic chemistry; Material chemistry; Materials; Materials Science; Methods of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth; Micro and nanotechnologies; Microelectronics; Morphology; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanowires; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Quantum wires; Silanes; Silicon dioxide; Surface physical chemistry; Theory and models of crystal growth; physics of crystal growth, crystal morphology and orientation; Tin oxides; A3. Liquid phase epitaxy; B2. Silicon oxide; B1. Oxides; A2. Growth from melt; LPE; Silanes; Hydroxides; Catalysts; Growth rate; Photoluminescence; Titanium nitride; Very low temperature; Etching; Experimental result; Silicon oxides; Morphology; Tin oxide; Growth mechanism; Growth from melt; Nanowires; Size control; Nanostructured materials
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2011.01.104

Silane was successfully used to grow SiO
x
nanowires by vapor–liquid–solid at low temperature (<600
°C) using in-situ reduced tin oxide catalyst. The temperature of catalyst reduction was found to have a significant impact on the morphology, which was mainly composed of nanowires cocoons and bamboo-like microtubes. Experimental results suggest that the catalyst drop size is probably at the origin of the morphology selection. Growth mechanisms are proposed to explain these results. For long growth time, partial etching of the nanowires was observed due to SiO formation. Growing at very low temperature (<400
°C) was found to significantly reduce the growth rate while improving the shape and size control. PL measurements evidenced defects in SiO
x
nanowires coming from oxygen deficiency.