General theoretical model for the vapor-phase growth and growth rate of semiconductor nanowires

Mohammad, S. Noor

doi:doi:10.1116/1.3289321

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Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B / Volume 28 / Issue 2 / Regular Articles

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J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 28, 329 (2010); http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.3289321 (24 pages)

General theoretical model for the vapor-phase growth and growth rate of semiconductor nanowires

S. Noor Mohammad

780 Girard Street NW, Washington, DC 20001 and Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742

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(Published online 23 March 2010)

Abstract

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The growth and growth rates of single-crystal nanowires have been studied. Extensive theoretical calculations have been performed. The growths by the vapor-phase mechanisms have been considered. These mechanisms include the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS), vapor-solid-solid, oxide-assisted growth, and the self-catalytic growth mechanisms. The modeling for nanowire growth and growth rate takes adsorption, desorption, surface scattering, and diffusion into account. The fundamentals underlying the growth rates and the parameters dictating them have been elucidated. The role of foreign element catalytic agents in the VLS growth has been examined. Experimental evidences have been advanced to quantify the influence of these parameters. Dependence of nanowire growth rates on temperature, nanowire radius, and chamber pressure has been studied. These growth rates obtained by theoretical, empirical, and experimental techniques compare well. The study solves important scientific problems, conflicts, controversies, and anomalies pertaining to nanowire growth. It uncovers basic processes underlying the controversies. It explains even the intricate details of the fundamentals governing the nanowire growths and growth rates. It elucidates why the nanowire growth rate by the molecular beam epitaxy is very low. Remarkably, it manifests incredibly tiny peaks in very thin nanowires observed experimentally several decades ago and explains the origin of these tiny peaks.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to thank Aya Sayed El Ahl and Maoqi He for assistance in experiments, Arif Khan for assistance in computations, and Albert Davydov, Chip Eddy, Ron Carter, Pratul Ajmera, and Fritz Kub, for discussions and help. The research was supported by DRTA Grant No. W911NF-06-1-0464 through U.S. Army Research Office, and monitored by Dr. Stephen Lee.

Article Outline

INTRODUCTION
THEORETICAL MODEL FOR NANOWIRE GROWTH RATE
1. Background
2. Nanowire growth by direct landing on the droplet surface
3. Nanowire growth rate by adatom diffusion through substrate and nanowire sidewalls
4. Total nanowire growth rate
GENERAL DISCUSSIONS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF NANOWIRE GROWTH RATE
1. Characteristics of the temperature dependent growth rates
2. Experimental support for the temperature-dependent growth rates
RADIUS DEPENDENCE OF NANOWIRE GROWTH RATE
1. General characteristics
2. Experimental support for the radius-dependent growth rates
3. Resolution of some strategic scientific problems
4. Competition between the shape and size effects
5. Correlation between the pressure dependence and the radius dependence of nanowire growth
6. Correlation between the pressure dependence and the temperature dependence of nanowire growth
7. Radius independence of nanowire growth rate
8. Influence of seed (droplet) characteristics on nanowire growth rate
VERY LOW GROWTH RATE BY THE SUBSTRATE DIFFUSION PROCESS
CONCLUSIONS

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KEYWORDS and PACS

Keywords

adsorption, catalysts, desorption, nanowires, semiconductor growth, semiconductor quantum wires, surface scattering

PACS

81.07.Vb

Quantum wires
81.05.-t

Specific materials: fabrication, treatment, testing, and analysis
82.65.+r

Surface and interface chemistry; heterogeneous catalysis at surfaces

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History

Received 27 April 2009
Accepted 14 December 2009
Published online 23 March 2010

Digital Object Identifier

http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.3289321

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

1071-1023 (print)

1520-8567 (online)

Publisher

American Vacuum Society

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