Low-temperature growth of In-assisted silicon nanowires

Indium-assisted silicon nanowires have been grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition at temperatures down to 330 degrees C without plasma pre-treatment of the In films deposited on silicon substrates before the growth. Two families of wires have been observed: thin, tapered wires that show a metallic nanoparticle at their top, and thick, almost cylindrical wires that have no metallic nanoparticle at their final end. We suggest that the two types of NWs grow after different mechanisms. Moreover, we point out important growth features that are common with Au- and self-induced nanowires. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.