Three-stage transition during silicon carbide nanowire growth

This letter reports the fabrication of silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires using vapor deposition and their characterizations using electron microscopy. The study reveal a spontaneous transition process, during growth, among three distinctly different structures or morphologies. At the first stage, SiC nanowires are in the form of periodically twinned crystals. At the second stage, they are in the form of core-shells, with the core being crystalline and modulating diameter, and the shell being amorphous. At the third stage, SiC nanowires are also in the form of core-shells, except that the core is of uniform diameter. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.