Thermally pressure-induced partial structural phase transitions in core–shell InSb-SiO2 nanoballs/microballs: characterization, size and interface effect

Abstract

Core–shell InSb-SiO2 nanoballs/microballs were synthesized on a Si substrate by carbonthermal reactions at a temperature of 900 °C. High-resolution transmission microscopy (HRTEM) images revealed that the surfaces of the InSb nanoballs/microballs were covered by amorphous SiO2 layers. On the basis of our theoretical calculation, the thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of the InSb crystals is ten times higher than that of the SiO2 shell. Therefore, the SiO2 serves as a constraining shell for the InSb core so that the compressive stress of ∼−94 MPa can accumulate in the InSb core while a tensile stress of 196 MPa forms in the SiO2 shell. The thermal excitation accumulated compressive stress in the InSb core, causing a partial structural phase transition from a cubic zinc-blende structure to a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Many lattice defects, such as stacking faults and Moiré fringes, have been observed on the surface of the InSb core. In situ temperature-dependent XRD patterns showed that a reversible InSb hexagonal (002) peak appeared and disappeared as the temperature increased and decreased at a transit point of 200 °C, respectively. As the temperature increased, the XRD diffraction peaks of the InSb wurtzite phase shifted significantly to lower angles because of the formation of compressive stress in the InSb nanoballs. The pressure-induced partial structural phase transitions of the nanostructured InSb occurred at −94 MPa of the compressive stress. This is the first report of this value, which is the lowest value in the pressure-induced phase transition of the nanostructure InSb from the cubic zinc-blende structure to the hexagonal wurtzite structure.