Fabrication of sub-100 nm Ge and Si nanowires

Self-assembled semiconducting (SC) nanowires (NW) are promising candidates for applications in electronics, thermo-electrics, sensing, energy conversion and storage. In particular, NWs based on Si and Ge are interesting since their fabrication is compatible with actual silicon based technology. However, the biggest obstacle in the use of NWs for electronic applications is their assembly. We have grown by Molecular Beam Epiatxy (MBE) Ge NWs by using Au as catalytic seed as a function of the Ge deposition rate and of the Ge(111) substrate’s temperature. The growth mechanism, size and distribution of the Ge NWs have been investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and their dependence on the growth parameters have been thoroughly investigated. Conversely, sub 100 nm Silicon NWs have been provided by nano-lithography patterned structures using polymer seeds and plasma etching followed by metal assisted etching on Si substrates with different doping level. Effects of doping and etching solution on grown NWs has been carefully analyzed by SEM. REFERENCES: 1. Bolduc M, Awo-Affouda C, Stollenwerk A, Huang M B, Ramos F G, Agnello G and LaBella V P (2005) Phys. Rev. B 71:033302 2. Y. D. Park, A. T. Hanbicki, S. C. Erwin, C. S. Hellberg, J. M. Sullivan, (2002) SCIENCE 295:651-654. 3. I. Berbezier, J.P. Ayoub , L. Favre , A. Ronda , L. Morresi, N. Pinto (2010), Surface science 605:7-11