On the general regularities of the growth of micro-and nanoscale si whiskers

Abstract

On the basis of the investigations of the processes of synthesis nano-and microscale silicon whiskers, general regularities of their quasi-one-dimensional growth are established: the presence of the catalyst drop liquid at the top, the same preferred orientation of the growth axis, presence of pedestal in the whisker base, decrease in radius over the crystal length (conicity), branching and formation of bends, flat crystallization front under the drop, two-stage character of the process (axial and radial growth), etc. Some individual features, inherent in the nanocrystal growth, are also established.