Molecular beam epitaxial growth and characterization of non-tapered InN nanowires onSi(111)

Abstract

We have performed a detailed investigation of the molecular beam epitaxialgrowth and characterization of InN nanowires spontaneously formed on Si(111)substrates under nitrogen rich conditions. By employing an in situ deposited thin (∼0.5 nm) In seeding layer prior to growth initiation, we have achieved, for the first time,non-tapered epitaxial InN nanowires, which exhibit record narrow spectral linewidths of 14and 40 meV at 5 K and 300 K, respectively. Detailed studies confirm that the wires arenearly free of dislocations and stacking faults. The achievement of non-tapered, nearlyhomogeneous InN nanowires also enables, for the first time, the derivation ofthe band gap of InN directly from PL spectroscopy in the temperature range of5–300 K.