Preferred growth direction of III-V nanowires on differently oriented Si substrates

TEM-compatible microdevice for the complete thermoelectric characterization of epitaxially integrated Si-based nanowires

Nanostructured materials present improved thermoelectric properties due to non-trivial effects at the nanoscale. However, the characterization of individual nanostructures, especially from the thermal point of view, is still an unsolved topic. This work presents the complete structural, morphological, and thermoelectrical evaluation of the selfsame individual bottom-up integrated nanowire employing an innovative micro-machined device compatible with transmission electron microscopy whose fabrication is also discussed. Thanks to a design that arranges the nanostructured samples completely suspended, detailed structural analysis using transmission electron microscopy is enabled. In the same device architecture, electrical collectors and isolated heaters are available at both ends of the trenches for thermoelectrical measurements of the nanowire i.e. thermal and electrical properties simultaneously. This allows the direct measurement of the nanowire power factor. Furthermore, micro-Raman thermometry measurements were performed to evaluate the thermal conductivity of the same suspended silicon nanowire. A thermal profile of the self-heating nanowire could be spatially resolved and used to compute the thermal conductivity. In this work, heavily-doped silicon nanowires were grown on this microdevices yielding a thermal conductivity of 30.8 ± 1.7 W Km-1 and a power factor of 2.8 mW mK-2 at an average nanowire temperature of 400 K. Notably, no thermal contact resistance was observed between the nanowire and the bulk, confirming the epitaxial attachment. The device presented here shows remarkable utility in the challenging thermoelectrical characterization of integrated nanostructures and in the development of multiple devices such as thermoelectric generators.

Non-〈111〉-oriented semiconductor nanowires: growth, properties, and applications

In recent years, non-〈111〉-oriented semiconductor nanowires have attracted increasing interest in terms of fundamental research and promising applications due to their outstanding crystal quality and distinctive physical properties. Here, a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the study of non-〈111〉-oriented semiconductor nanowires is presented. We start by introducing various growth techniques for obtaining nanowires with certain orientations, for which the growth energetics and kinetics are discussed. Attention is then given to the physical properties of non-〈111〉 nanowires, as predicted by theoretical calculations or demonstrated experimentally. After that, we review the advantages and challenges of non-〈111〉 nanowires as building blocks for electronic and optoelectronic devices. Finally, we discuss the possible challenges and opportunities in the research field of non-〈111〉 semiconductor nanowires.

Epitaxial Growth of GaAs Nanowires on Synthetic Mica by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition

The epitaxial growth of III-V nanowires with excellent optoelectronic properties on low-cost, light-weight, and flexible substrates is a key step for the design and engineering of future optoelectronic devices. In our study, GaAs nanowires were grown on synthetic mica, a two-dimensional layered material, via vapor-liquid-solid growth using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The effect of basic epitaxial growth parameters such as temperature and V/III ratio on the vertical yield of the nanowires is investigated. A vertical yield of over 60% is achieved at an optimum growth temperature of 400 °C and a V/III ratio 18. The structural properties of the nanowires are investigated using various techniques including scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and high-angle annular dark-field imaging. The vertical nanowires grown at a low temperature and a high V/III ratio are found to have a zincblende phase with a [111] B polarity. The optical properties are investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and time-resolved PL measurements. First-principles electronic structure calculations within the framework of density functional theory elucidate the van der Waals nature of the nanowire/mica interface. Our results also show that these nanowires can be easily lifted off the bulk 2D mica template, providing a pathway for flexible nanowire devices.

Measuring, controlling and exploiting heterogeneity in optoelectronic nanowires

Fabricated from ZnO, III-N, chalcogenide-based, III-V, hybrid perovskite or other materials, semiconductor nanowires offer single-element and array functionality as photovoltaic, non-linear, electroluminescent and lasing components. In many applications their advantageous properties emerge from their geometry; a high surface-to-volume ratio for facile access to carriers, wavelength-scale dimensions for waveguiding or a small nanowire-substrate footprint enabling heterogeneous growth. However, inhomogeneity during bottom-up growth is ubiquitous and can impact morphology, geometry, crystal structure, defect density, heterostructure dimensions and ultimately functional performance. In this topical review, we discuss the origin and impact of heterogeneity within and between optoelectronic nanowires, and introduce methods to assess, optimise and ultimately exploit wire-to-wire disorder.