Mechanism of vertical Ge nanowire nucleation on Si (111) during subeutectic annealing and growth

Se Jun Park, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Sung Hwan Chung, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Bong-Joong Kim, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Minghao Qi, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Xianfan Xu, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Eric A. Stach, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Chen Yang, Purdue University

Date of this Version

11-2011

Citation

Journal of Materials Research: Volume 26, Issue 21. November 2011, pp. 2744-2748

Abstract

The direct integration of Ge nanowires with silicon is of interest in multiple applications. In this work, we describe the growth of high-quality, vertically oriented Ge nanowires on Si (111) substrates utilizing a completely sub-Au-Si-eutectic annealing and growth procedure. With all other conditions remaining identical, annealing below the Au-Si eutectic results in successful heteroepitaxial nucleation and growth of Ge nanowires on Si substrate while annealing above the Au-Si eutectic leads to randomly oriented growth. A model is presented to elucidate the effect of the annealing temperature, in which we hypothesized that sub-Au-Si-eutectic annealing leads to the formation of a single and well-oriented interface, essential to template heteroepitaxial nucleation. These results are critically dependent on substrate preparation and lead to the creation of integrated nanowire systems with a low thermal budget process.

Discipline(s)

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

 

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