Effects of nitrogen precursor on the Au-assisted vapor–liquid–solid growth of GaAs(N) nanostructures

Abstract

We investigated the effects of the use of a N precursor on the morphology of GaAs(N) nanostructures grown on GaAs (001) substrates via the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) method while using Au particles as the catalyst. The synthesized nanostructures were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction analyses. When the N precursor was not used, GaAs nanowires grew, mainly along the <111>A directions, on the surface of the substrate. These nanowires consisted of zincblende (ZB) and wurtzite (WZ) structures, with a number of boundaries being formed at the {111} planes. When the N precursor was used, isotropic GaAsN nanodots in which 1~2% of the As atoms had been substituted by N atoms were formed. These nanodots consisted of ZB structures having twin boundaries; no WZ structures were formed in this case. Finally, although they remained isotropic in shape, the nanodots grew in a direction along which the substrate was oriented.