Seminars & Colloquia

Abstract

Nanowires are promising for applications in nanoelectronics, energy harvesting and storage, catalysis, and sensors. They are commonly grown via a vapor-liquid-solid process, where material from the vapor phase is preferentially deposited at the wire-catalyst liquid interface in the form of a one-dimensional solid. Despite several years of research, relatively little is known concerning the growth process. I will present in-situ transmission electron microscopy studies of the nanowire nucleation and growth kinetics and hence develop a fundamental understanding of the factors influencing nanowire composition, morphology, and structure. Examples are given of the Au/Si and Au/Ge systems, including the growth of abrupt Ge/Si interfaces by these methods.