SINGLE CRYSTAL INDIUM ANTIMONY NANOWIRES: SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION, PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS

We report the first large-scale synthesis of single crystal InSb nanowires using self-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) transport process. Narrow growth window for achieving single crystal InSb nanowires has been discovered. Our batch fabricated InSb nanowires are 50-180 nm in diameter and 10-30 µm in length. Materials composition analysis by Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDAX) reveals that the as-grown InSb nanowires are pure single crystals of InSb. Structural analysis by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) reveals that InSb nanowires have cubic crystal structures. The nanowire growth direction is found to be [001], 45 degrees toward the lattice planes in cubic structure