Novel route to scalable synthesis of II–VI semiconductor nanowires: Catalyst-assisted vacuum thermal evaporation

• Published in: Journal of crystal growth 2010-10, Vol.312 (20), p.2852-2856
• Main Authors: Yang, Linyu, Wang, W.J., Song, B., Wu, R., Li, J., Sun, Y.F., Shang, F., Chen, X.L., Jian, J.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A1. Crystal morphology; A1. Nanosctructures; A2. Growth from vapor; B2. Semiconducting II–VI materials; Chemistry; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; General, apparatus; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Other topics in nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; Quantum wires; Surface physical chemistry
• ISSN: 0022-0248; 1873-5002
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2010.06.032

Vacuum thermal evaporation, a conventional film fabricating technique, has been explored to synthesize II–VI semiconductor nanowires based on a catalyst-assisted vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) process. Low melting-point metals, such as bismuth and tin, can be used as catalysts by co-evaporating with desired semiconductor materials. As proof of the concept, CdTe, CdS, ZnSe and ZnS single crystalline nanowires have been successfully synthesized on a large scale by this method. The growth mechanism involved in the method has been discussed. Morphological, structural and optical properties of as-synthesized nanowires were characterized, revealing the high quality of the nanowires. The results indicate that the method presented here is a novel and general route to mass production of II–VI semiconductor nanowires, which can be possibly scaled up for industrial application at low cost, and extended to other material systems.