In situ formation of indium catalysts to synthesize crystalline silicon nanowires on flexible stainless steel substrates by PECVD

Abstract

Intrinsic and n-type silicon nanowires were synthesized on flexible stainless steel substrates by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Indium nanoparticles fabricated by hydrogen plasma treatment on flexible stainless steel substrates were used as metal catalysts. The differences between intrinsic and n-type silicon nanowires were investigated. The crystal structure of the nanowires was characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. It is shown that the as-synthesized silicon nanowires were single crystals and the intrinsic silicon nanowires had better morphology and tended to have higher concentration twin crystals than the n-type silicon nanowires. The phosphorus atom percentage of the n-type silicon nanowires was 2.17% as determined by energy dispersive spectroscopy. The SiNWs on the glass substrates has lower reflectance than the SiNWs on the flexible stainless steel substrates in the range 750–1100nm wavelengths.