Carbon-coated SiC nanowires: direct synthesis from Si and field emission characteristics (original) (raw)

Cubic SiC Nanowires: Growth, Characterization and Applications

2010

Functionalized 3C-silicon carbide NW have the potential to act as highly sensitive detector elements in biochemical field (Yakimova et al., 2007). Many methods are currently being used to prepare SiC-NW (pure or with a SiO 2 shell) on silicon substrates using a catalyst, including chemical vapour deposition, vacuum evaporation of SiC, direct synthesis from Si and C powders. In this paper we will present a brief review of growth methods used to obtain cubic silicon carbide NW, both with and without SiO 2 shell, and our results on the NW growth and characterization of morphological, structural and optical properties by SEM, TEM, CL and Raman. Finally we will review some of the possible applications for nanodevices.

Synthesis and characterization of 3C–SiC nanowires

Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2008

Silicon carbide nanowires have been synthesized by carbothermal reduction, from carbon monoxide and single crystal silicon. Transmission electron microscopy and cathodoluminescence studies confirm the growth of a cubic b-SiC core, coated with an amorphous oxide shell. Planar defects, as stacking faults and rotational twins, are present on (1 1 1) planes. The formation of short thick rods or long thin wires, depending on the growth temperature and time, is discussed.

SiC nanowires: material and devices

Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2011

SiC nanowires are of high interest since they combine the physical properties of SiC with those induced by their low dimensionality. For this reason, a large number of scientific studies have been dedicated to their fabrication and characterization as well as to their application in devices. SiC nanowires growth involving different growth mechanisms and configurations was the main theme for the large majority of these studies. Various physical characterization methods have been employed for evaluating SiC nanowire quality. Very low diameter (<10 nm) nanowires as well as nanowires free of planar defects have not been demonstrated and these are some of the main challenges. Another issue is the high unintentional doping of the nanowires that does not allow the demonstration of high performance field effect transistors using SiC nanowires as channel material. On the other hand, the grown nanowires are suitable for field emission applications and to be used as reinforcing material in composite structures as well as for increasing the hydrophobicity of Si surfaces. All these aspects are examined in detail in the different sections of the present paper.

Catalyst-Free Chemical Vapor Deposition for Synthesis of SiC Nanowires with Controlled Morphology

Springer Series in Materials Science, 2013

SiC wires of different morphology were grown using methyltrichlorosilane (MTS) and hydrogen by chemical vapor deposition under ambient pressure. Taguchi method has been used to design experiments to get the optimum parameters for growing SiC wires of diameter in nanometer range. Results from XRD and SEM analyses showed the growth of -SiC wires having different morphology. At higher temperature (1500 °C), the growth of SiC grains was observed rather than wires. The optimum deposition conditions for uniform diameter growth of SiC nano wires, smoothness of the surface and homogeneous growth of SiC on the surface have been obtained. The hydrogen to MTS flow rate ratio should be above 20 for the growth of SiC wires of nanometer diameter. The deposition temperature for the growth of crystalline SiC wires should be 1100-1300 °C. The total flow rate of carrier gas comprising of argon and hydrogen for a particular H2/MTS flow rate ratio is critical for morphological outcome of SiC. In the present study it was 2 lpm for H2/MTS flow rate ratio 14 to obtain wire morphology. When the total gas flow rate was increased to 6 lpm for the same H2/MTS flow rate ratio 14, the wire morphology of SiC disappeared and the formation of grains occurred. The optimum deposition temperature i.e. 1300 °C was kept constant and further experiments were conducted by changing H2/MTS mole ratio to verify morphological outcome of SiC. A plausible mechanism has been suggested for the above observations using vapor-solid mechanism. . TEM images of the SiC nanowires grown at H2/MTS = 70 and T = 1300 °C.

Cathodoluminescence characterization of β-SiC nanowires and surface-related silicon dioxide

Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 2008

The main goal of our study is to prepare and to understand the properties of cubic SiC nanowires (NWs) and to characterize its native silicon dioxide. The wires, with diameters ranging from 10 nm to 2 mm, have been prepared by a CVD process on Si (0 0 1) substrates, using CO as the carbon source and Ni as the catalyst. A structural and optical analysis, by means of TEM, micro-Raman and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy, has been performed. Two sets of samples have been studied, labelled A and B, which differ for growth process conditions. Set A showed two broad CL peaks. Set B showed a much weaker CL emission. This difference has been explained by means of TEM investigation and micro-Raman spectra: set A shows a thick amorphous silicon dioxide layer on the wire surface, whereas set B shows a thin or absent oxide layer. Consequently, the nature of the CL emission has to be ascribed mainly to oxide-related recombination.

SiC nanowires with thickness-controlled SiO2 shells: Fabrication, mechanism, reaction kinetics and photoluminescence properties

Nano Research, 2014

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SiC NWs Grown on Silicon Substrate Using Fe as Catalyst

Materials Science Forum, 2014

In this paper we report on the growth of silicon carbide nanowires deposited on silicon substrate with vapor phase technique at atmospheric pressure, using propane and silane as precursors and hydrogen as carrier gas.

In situ growth of SiC nanowires on RS-SiC substrate(s)

Journal of Crystal Growth, 2004

SiC nanowires over 10 mm in length and 20-100 nm in diameter have been synthesized by a novel in situ chemical vapor growth process on RS-SiC plates. The SiC nanowires were identified as single crystal b-SiC with Si-C chemistry. The growth direction of the nanowires is /1 1 1S. The growth mechanism is discussed and a kinetic vapor-solid growth mechanism is proposed. The process demonstrates the possibility to fabricate SiC nanowires in ceramic matrix composites, such as continuous SiC fibers reinforced SiC matrix composites, with the SiC nanowires uniformly dispersed in the matrix.

SiC Nanowires : from growth to related devices

2013

Low dimensional semiconductor nanostructures, such as nanowires (NWs), have become the focus of intensive research for exploring new emergent phenomena at the nanoscale and probing their possible use in future electronics. Among these semiconductor NWs, Silicon Carbide (SiC) has very unique properties, such as wide bandgap, excellent thermal conductivity, chemical and physical stability, high electron mobility and biocompatibility. These factors makes SiC a long standing candidate material to replace silicon in specific electronic device applications operating in extreme conditions or/and harsh environments. SiC nanostructures have been studied extensively and intensively over the last decade not only for their fabrication and characterization, but also for their diverse applications. I have outlined the growth of SiC nanostructures based on different growth methods, a noteworthy feature of their characteristic properties and potential applications in the chapter one. As-grown SiC N...