Preparation of well-aligned carbon nanotubes/silicon nanowires core-sheath composite structure arrays in porous anodic aluminum oxide templates

Abstract

The well-aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) arrays with opened ends were prepared in ordered pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. After then, silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were deposited in the hollow cavities of CNTs. By using this method, CNTs/SiNWs core-sheath composite structure arrays were synthesized successfully. Growing structures and physical properties of the CNTs/SiNWs composite structure arrays were analyzed and researched by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction spectrum (XRD), respectively. The field emission (FE) behavior of the CNTs/SiNWs composite structure arrays was studied based on Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism and current-voltage (I-V) curve. And the photoluminescence (PL) was also characterized. Significantly, the CNTs/SiNWs core-sheath composite structure nanowire fabricated by AAO template method is characteristic of a metal/semiconductor (M/S) behavior and can be utilized to synthesize nanoscale PN junction or Schottky diode device. This process also could be useful for the fabrication of SiNWs and other nanoscale core-sheath composite structure nanowires with chemically inert interfaces for nanoscale electronic and device applications where surface oxidation is undesirable. The diameters and lengths of nanoscale composite structure arrays can be dominated easily, and the experimental result shows that the curling and twisting structures are fewer than those prepared by other synthesized methods.