Coaxial nanocables of p-type zinc telluride nanowires sheathed with silicon oxide: synthesis,characterization and properties

Abstract

Coaxial nanocables with a single-crystalline zinc telluride (ZnTe) nanowire core and an amorphous siliconoxide (SiOx) shell have been synthesized via a simple one-step chemical vapor deposition(CVD) method on gold-decorated silicon substrates. The single-crystal ZnTenanowire core is in zinc-blende structure along the [111] direction, while the uniformSiOx shell fully covers the core with no observable pin-hole or crack. Formation mechanisms of theZnTe–SiOx nanocables are discussed. The ZnTe nanowire core shows p-type electrical properties while theSiOx shell acts as an effective insulating layer. TheZnTe–SiOx nanocables may have potential applications in nanoscale devices, such as p-type FETs andnanosensors.