Abstract
Si and Si1-xGex nanowires are of interest for nanoscale electronics, sensors and photovoltaics. These structures are commonly formed by chemical vapor deposition via a metal-mediated vapor-liquid-solid mechanism using SiH4 and GeH4 sources. The effect of growth conditions on the growth rate and composition of Si1-xGex was investigated. This work reveals a difference in the mechanism of incorporation of Si into Si1-xGex nanowires compared to Si nanowire growth which is believed to arise as a result of gas phase interactions between SiH4 and GeH4. The growth of Si1-xGex/Si axial heterostructured nanowires was also investigated. Compositional analysis indicates that the Ge profile exhibits turn-on and turn-off transients which are associated with the time required to saturate and deplete Ge from the Au-Si-Ge catalyst. This leads to an increase in the interfacial width with increasing nanowire diameter.
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