SIZE-SELECTED NANOCRYSTALS OF III-V SEMICONDUCTOR-MATERIALS BY THE AEROTAXY METHOD

In this paper we present a fabrication route to produce size-selected III-V semiconductor nanocrystals via a simple, reliable, and efficient aerosol route. Since this approach includes the reaction of aerosol p articles and a self-organized growth of a new compound, all in the aer osol phase, we call this process aerotaxy. Size-selected nanocrystals of different m-V compounds in a diameter range below 20 nm were fabric ated using this method. Through the reaction of arsine with gallium dr oplets or of phosphine with indium droplets, GaAs and InP clusters wer e formed. Our approach opens the possibility to produce contamination- free and size-selected nanocrystals of compound semiconductor material s with considerable freedom in composition and size. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.