Exploring Copper as a Catalyst for Supercritical Fluid-Based Silicon Nanowire Growth

Abstract

Silicon Nanowires (SiNWs) have numerous potential applications in many different fields. Herein, we report the semi-continuous supercritical fluid-solid-solid (SFSS) growth of Cu-seeded SiNWs. Homogeneous nucleation of silicon precursor is strongly influenced by the reaction temperature and has a huge impact on achieving continuous steady-state growth of SiNWs. We also demonstrate that by tuning the overall precursor concentration and precursor-to-metal seed ratio, one can suppress the homogeneous nucleation and reduce defects. In addition, we present an approach that can be adapted to integrate different materials into backbone/branch heterostructures. This strategy provides additional control over nanostructure morphology, offering a handle to explore and design nanowire-based structures for various applications.