Temperature-dependent growth of germanium oxide and silicon oxide based nanostructures, aligned silicon oxide nanowire assemblies, and silicon oxide microtubes

Small. 2005 Apr;1(4):429-38. doi: 10.1002/smll.200400101.

Abstract

We demonstrate the temperature-dependent growth of germanium oxide and silicon oxide based composite nanostructures (multiple nanojunctions of Ge nanowires and SiO(x) nanowires, Ge-filled SiO(2) nanotubes, Ge/SiO(2) coaxial nanocables, and a variety of interesting micrometer-sized structures), aligned SiO(x) nanowire assemblies, and SiO(x) microtubes. The structures were characterized by SEM, TEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electron diffraction. The combination of laser ablation of a germanium target and thermal evaoporation of silicon monoxide powders resulted in the formation of Ge and SiO(x) species in a carrier gas; the nano/micro-sized structures grow by either a Ge-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid or a Ge-nanowire-templated vapor-solid process.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization
  • Germanium / chemistry*
  • Metal Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanostructures / chemistry
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Nanotubes / chemistry*
  • Nanowires / chemistry*
  • Semiconductors
  • Silicon / chemistry
  • Silicon Dioxide / chemistry*
  • Temperature*

Substances

  • Germanium
  • germanium oxide
  • Silicon Dioxide
  • Silicon