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Liquid droplet dynamics and complex morphologies in vapor–liquid–solid nanowire growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 July 2011

E.J. Schwalbach ,
S.H. Davis ,
P.W. Voorhees ,
D. Wheeler  and
J.A. Warren
E.J. Schwalbach
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
S.H. Davis
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering Sciences and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
P.W. Voorhees*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208
D. Wheeler
Affiliation:
Metallurgy Division, Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
J.A. Warren
Affiliation:
Metallurgy Division, Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The morphology of semiconducting nanowires, including kinked and branched wires, must be controlled in order to produce functional devices. Here, we describe some of the experimental and theoretical work involving complex morphologies of Au-catalyzed Si nanowires grown using the vapor–liquid–solid technique. Although there is a broad parameter space to explore, experiments have highlighted the importance of the precursor and impurity partial pressures on kinking behavior. Theoretical and modeling work has indicated that the stability of and transitions in droplet configuration are important for growth direction changes that can lead to complex morphologies. We describe recent phase-field simulations of nanowire growth that address the dynamics of liquid droplets during vapor–liquid–solid growth, as well as the implications of these results for the formation of wires with complex morphology.

Keywords

nanostructuresimulationfluid
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 26 , Issue 17: Focus Issue: Nanowires: Fundamentals and Applications , 14 September 2011 , pp. 2186 - 2198
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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