Guided VLS Growth of Epitaxial Lateral Si Nanowires

Using the Au-seeded vapor liquid-solid-technique, epitaxial single-crystal Si nanowires (NWs) can be grown laterally along Si( 111) substrates that have been miscut toward [11 (2) over bar]. The ratio of lateral-to-vertical NWs increases as the miscut angle increases and as disilane pressure and substrate temperature decrease. By exploiting these trends, conditions can be identified whereby all of the deposited Au seeds form lateral NWs. Growth is guided along the nanofaceted substrate via a mechanism that involves pinning of the trijunction at the liquid/solid interface of the growing nanowire.