A theoretical model of nanowire formation by the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism during molecular beam epitaxy and related growth techniques is presented. The model unifies the conventional adsorption-induced model, the diffusion-induced model, and the model of nucleation-mediated growth on the liquid-solid interface. The concentration of deposit atoms in the liquid alloy, the nanowire diameter, and all other characteristics of the growth process are treated dynamically as functions of the growth time. The model provides theoretical length-diameter dependences of nanowires and the dependence of the nanowire length on the technologically controlled growth conditions, such as the surface temperature and the deposition thickness. In particular, it is shown that the length-diameter curves of nanowires might convert from decreasing to increasing at a certain critical diameter and that the nanowires taper when their length becomes comparable with the adatom diffusion length on the sidewalls. The theoretical dependence of the nanowire morphology on its lateral size and length and on the surface temperature are compared to the available experimental data obtained recently for Si and nanowires.
Growth and properties of the self‐catalyzed heterostructured GaP nanowires (NWs) with GaP1 − xAsx insertions in the form of nanodiscs (NDs) grown by means of molecular‐beam epitaxy on Si (111) substrate are studied. To obtain the NDs with the different composition and optoelectronic properties, the ratio of As and P fluxes is varied. Structural properties of the synthesized heterostructures are characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy is used to study chemical composition of the NDs. The maximum achieved fraction x in the NDs is nearly 60%. Sublinear dependence of As concentration in the ND on the As/P flux ratio is observed and theoretical description for the observed phenomenon is provided. The proposed model can be used to estimate the predicted As/P ratio for the synthesis of GaPAs NDs as well as NWs of the required composition. Microphotoluminescence (μPL) studies demonstrate the appearance of broadband PL signal in the spectral range between 600 and 700 nm, corresponding to the NDs with different compositions. Spectra intensity modulation is found due to longitudinal Fabry–Pérot‐type resonances in the individual NWs.
GaN nanowires were grown using selective area plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on SiOx/Si(111) substrates patterned with microsphere lithography. For the first time, the temperature–Ga/N2 flux ratio map was established for selective area epitaxy of GaN nanowires. It is shown that the growth selectivity for GaN nanowires without any parasitic growth on a silica mask can be obtained in a relatively narrow range of substrate temperatures and Ga/N2 flux ratios. A model was developed that explains the selective growth range, which appeared to be highly sensitive to the growth temperature and Ga flux, as well as to the radius and pitch of the patterned pinholes. High crystal quality in the GaN nanowires was confirmed through low-temperature photoluminescence measurements.
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