Growth rate of silicon nanowires

We have measured the growth rate of silicon nanowires (SiNWs), which were grown at temperatures between 365 and 495 °C via the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. We grew SiNWs using gold as catalysts and monosilane (SiH4) as a vapor phase reactant. Observing SiNWs by means of transmission electron microscopy, we have found that SiNWs with smaller diameters grow slower than those with larger ones, and the critical diameter at which growth stops completely exists. We have estimated the critical diameter of SiNWs to be about 2 nm. We have also measured the temperature dependence of the growth rate of SiNWs and estimated the activation energy of the growth of SiNWs to be 230kJ∕mol.

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