Metal silicide nanowires and methods for their production
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsSong Jin, Andrew L. Schmitt, Yipu Song
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Abstract
The present invention provides metal silicide nanowires, including metallic, semiconducting, and ferromagnetic semiconducting transition metal silicide nanowires. The nanowires are grown using either chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or chemical vapor transport (CVT) on silicon substrates covered with a thin silicon oxide film, the oxide film desirably having a thickness of no greater than about 5 nm and, desirably, no more than about 2 nm (e.g., about 1-2 nm). The metal silicide nanowires and heterostructures made from the nanowires are well-suited for use in CMOS compatible wire-like electronic, photonic, and spintronic devices.
Claims39
A method for producing single-crystal, free-standing transition metal silicide nanowires comprising growing the nanowires on a surface of a silicon oxide film on a silicon substrate, wherein the silicon oxide film has a thickness of no more than about 2 nm.
A free-standing metal silicide nanowire having an average diameter of no more than about 100 nm, wherein the nanowire is free of metal catalyst impurities, and further wherein, the nanowire is not embedded in a substrate along its length and still further wherein the nanowire is a branched nanowire.
A collection of nanowires, wherein the collection comprises at least 1,000 nanowires, wherein the collection comprises branched nanowires, and further wherein the nanowires are free-standing metal silicide nanowire having an average diameter of no more than about 100 nm, wherein the nanowires are free of metal catalyst impurities, and further wherein the nanowires are not embedded in a substrate along their lengths.
A free-standing, single crystal transition metal silicide nanowire other than a FeSi nanowire, a titanium silicide nanowire, or a nickel silicide nanowire, wherein the nanowire is not embedded in a substrate along its length, and further wherein the nanowire is a branched nanowire.
A free-standing, single crystal transition metal silicide nanowire other than a FeSi nanowire, a titanium silicide nanowire, or a nickel silicide nanowire, wherein the nanowire is not embedded in a substrate along its length, wherein the metal silicide nanowire comprises a heterojunction formed between the metal silicide nanowire and a second nanowire, wherein the composition of the second nanowire is different from the composition of the metal silicide nanowire.
A free-standing metal silicide nanowire having an average diameter of no more than about 100 nm, wherein the nanowire is free of metal catalyst impurities, further wherein, the nanowire is not embedded in a substrate along its length, and further wherein a heterojunction is formed between the metal silicide nanowire and a second nanowire, wherein the composition of the second nanowire is different from the composition of the metal silicide nanowire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.