Bulk synthesis of silicon nanowires using a low-temperature vapor-liquid-solid method

Silicon nanowires will find applications in nanoscale electronics and optoe lectronics both as active and passive components. Here, we demonstrate a lo w-temperature vapor-liquid-solid synthesis method that uses liquid-metal so lvents with low solubility for silicon and other elemental semiconductor ma terials. This method eliminates the usual requirement of quantum-sized drop lets in order to obtain quantum-scale one-dimensional structures. Specifica lly, we synthesized silicon nanowires with uniform diameters distributed ar ound 6 nm using gallium as the molten solvent, at temperatures less than 40 0 degreesC in hydrogen plasma. The potential exists for bulk synthesis of s ilicon nanowires at temperatures significantly lower than 400 degreesC. Gal lium forms a eutectic with silicon near room temperature and offers a wide temperature range for bulk synthesis of nanowires. These properties are imp ortant for creating monodispersed one-dimensional structures capable of yie lding sharp hetero- or homointerfaces. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physi cs.