Tin-Catalyzed Plasma-Assisted Growth of Silicon Nanowires

Somilkumar J. Rathi; Bhavin N. Jariwala; Joseph D. Beach; Paul Stradins; P. Craig Taylor; Xiaojun Weng; Yue Ke; Joan M. Redwing; Sumit Agarwal; Reuben T. Collins

doi:10.1021/jp1066428

Tin-Catalyzed Plasma-Assisted Growth of Silicon Nanowires

Somilkumar J. Rathi, Bhavin N. Jariwala, Joseph D. Beach, Paul Stradins, P. Craig Taylor, Xiaojun Weng, Yue Ke, Joan M. Redwing, Sumit Agarwal, Reuben T. Collins

Chemistry and Nanoscience

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Abstract

A systematic study of tin-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of silicon nanowires by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at temperatures ranging from 300 to 400 °C is presented. Wire structure, morphology, and growth rate are characterized as a function of process variables. The nanowires are observed to have a crystalline core with a polycrystalline shell due to simultaneous VLS axial growth and vapor-solid radial growth. Axial and radial growth rates are controllable through hydrogen dilution of the plasma which affects the concentration of silane radicals in the plasma. In addition, wire length is observed to saturate with increasing growth time. Post growth chemical analysis suggests this is due to etching and disappearance of tin seeds in the hydrogen plasma which occur in parallel with wire growth. This opens up the possibility of a unique in situ approach to fabricating metal-free nanowire arrays for device applications.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	3833-3839
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Volume	115
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/jp1066428 https://doi.org/10.1021/jp1066428
State	Published - 2011

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5200-51612

Keywords

photovoltaic applications
silicon nanowires

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title = "Tin-Catalyzed Plasma-Assisted Growth of Silicon Nanowires",

abstract = "A systematic study of tin-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of silicon nanowires by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at temperatures ranging from 300 to 400 °C is presented. Wire structure, morphology, and growth rate are characterized as a function of process variables. The nanowires are observed to have a crystalline core with a polycrystalline shell due to simultaneous VLS axial growth and vapor-solid radial growth. Axial and radial growth rates are controllable through hydrogen dilution of the plasma which affects the concentration of silane radicals in the plasma. In addition, wire length is observed to saturate with increasing growth time. Post growth chemical analysis suggests this is due to etching and disappearance of tin seeds in the hydrogen plasma which occur in parallel with wire growth. This opens up the possibility of a unique in situ approach to fabricating metal-free nanowire arrays for device applications.",

keywords = "photovoltaic applications, silicon nanowires",

author = "Rathi, {Somilkumar J.} and Jariwala, {Bhavin N.} and Beach, {Joseph D.} and Paul Stradins and Taylor, {P. Craig} and Xiaojun Weng and Yue Ke and Redwing, {Joan M.} and Sumit Agarwal and Collins, {Reuben T.}",

year = "2011",

doi = "10.1021/jp1066428",

language = "American English",

volume = "115",

pages = "3833--3839",

journal = "Journal of Physical Chemistry C",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Tin-Catalyzed Plasma-Assisted Growth of Silicon Nanowires

AU - Rathi, Somilkumar J.

AU - Jariwala, Bhavin N.

AU - Beach, Joseph D.

AU - Stradins, Paul

AU - Taylor, P. Craig

AU - Weng, Xiaojun

AU - Ke, Yue

AU - Redwing, Joan M.

AU - Agarwal, Sumit

AU - Collins, Reuben T.

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - A systematic study of tin-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of silicon nanowires by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at temperatures ranging from 300 to 400 °C is presented. Wire structure, morphology, and growth rate are characterized as a function of process variables. The nanowires are observed to have a crystalline core with a polycrystalline shell due to simultaneous VLS axial growth and vapor-solid radial growth. Axial and radial growth rates are controllable through hydrogen dilution of the plasma which affects the concentration of silane radicals in the plasma. In addition, wire length is observed to saturate with increasing growth time. Post growth chemical analysis suggests this is due to etching and disappearance of tin seeds in the hydrogen plasma which occur in parallel with wire growth. This opens up the possibility of a unique in situ approach to fabricating metal-free nanowire arrays for device applications.

AB - A systematic study of tin-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of silicon nanowires by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at temperatures ranging from 300 to 400 °C is presented. Wire structure, morphology, and growth rate are characterized as a function of process variables. The nanowires are observed to have a crystalline core with a polycrystalline shell due to simultaneous VLS axial growth and vapor-solid radial growth. Axial and radial growth rates are controllable through hydrogen dilution of the plasma which affects the concentration of silane radicals in the plasma. In addition, wire length is observed to saturate with increasing growth time. Post growth chemical analysis suggests this is due to etching and disappearance of tin seeds in the hydrogen plasma which occur in parallel with wire growth. This opens up the possibility of a unique in situ approach to fabricating metal-free nanowire arrays for device applications.

KW - photovoltaic applications

KW - silicon nanowires

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U2 - 10.1021/jp1066428

DO - 10.1021/jp1066428

M3 - Article

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SN - 1932-7447

VL - 115

SP - 3833

EP - 3839

JO - Journal of Physical Chemistry C

JF - Journal of Physical Chemistry C

IS - 10

ER -

Tin-Catalyzed Plasma-Assisted Growth of Silicon Nanowires

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Keywords

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