Vapor–liquid–solid growth of vertically aligned InP nanowires by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract In this study, a detailed investigation of the growth of vertically oriented and surface mounted InP nanowires has been carried out. They were grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy on semi-insulating 〈111〉 B-oriented InP wafers using Au nanoparticle-assisted vapor–liquid–solid growth technique. The proper conditions for the stable nanowire growth were obtained by systematic variation of the pre-growth annealing and the growth temperatures and were found to be 540 and 440 °C, respectively. The variation in the length of the nanowires was also studied as a function of time. Transmission electron diffraction studies carried out on the single nanowires revealed the 〈111〉 growth direction with the presence of rotational twin structures, the axis of rotation being the growth direction. Analysis of the high-resolution transmission electron microscopic images shows that the orientation and kinks on the nanowires were controlled by the distribution of these twin structures.