Thermal oxidation and facet‐formation mechanisms of Si nanowires. Issue 4 (4th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kioseoglou, J.; Komninou, Ph.; Zervos, M.
• Is Part Of: Physica status solidi. Volume 8:Issue 4(2014:Apr.)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2014-03-04
• Subjects: Solid state physics -- Periodicals; 530.4105
• DOI: 10.1002/pssr.201308280
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1862-6254

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Silicon nanowires were grown along the [111] direction on Si(001) by the vapor–liquid–solid mechanism using 1 nm Au as a catalyst. They were subsequently oxidized at 900 °C for 60 min, 120 min and 180 min, which lead to the formation of a circular shell of amorphous SiO₂ surrounding the Si core defined by primary (202), (220) (022) and secondary (422) crystal facets that form a polygon with nine sides having a lower symmetry compared to the hexagonal shape of the Si nanowires before oxidation. We explain the facet‐formation mechanism by the oxidation of alternate vertices of the original hexagon, which leads to the appearance of higher index crystallographic planes tangential to a circle corresponding to the energetically favorable core geometry. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)</p> </abstract>