Ultrafast synthesis of Si nanowires by DC arc discharge method and morphology control

Abstract

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have been synthesized by a facile direct current (DC) arc discharge method. The SiNWs have homogeneous diameters of 10–20 nm and lengths ranging from several ten nanometers to several microns. Each SiNW interconnects with a metal nickel as catalyst. Morphology control of the products can be easily achieved by adjusting the current and the voltage of the discharge. X-ray diffractometer (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and Selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) were used to study the structures and the morphology of the SiNWs. SiNWs were polycrystalline, which confirmed by XRD and SAED. The formation mechanism of SiNWs generally attribute to the presence of Ni catalysts in the synthesis process of vapor–liquid–solid (VLS).