Semiconductor nanowires synthesis

The approaches used for preparation of inorganic nanomaterials can be divided into two broad categories solution-phase colloidal synthesis and gas-phase synthesis. Metal and semiconductor nanoparticles are usually synthesized via solution-phase colloidal techniques,4,913 whereas high-temperature gas-phase processes like chemical vapor deposition (CVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), and vapor transfer are widely used for synthesis of high-quality semiconductor nanowires and carbon nanotubes.6,7 Such division reflects only the current research bias, as promising routes to metallic nanoparticles are also available based on vapor condensation14 and colloidal syntheses of high-quality semiconductor nanowires.15... 

Duan, X. Lieber, C. M. 2005. Semiconductor nanowires Rational synthesis. In Dekker Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, edited by Schwarz J. A., Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York. 

Morales, A. M. Lieber, C. M. 1998. A laser ablation method for the synthesis of crystalline semiconductor nanowires. Science 279 208-211. 

Solution-Liquid-Solid (SLS) growth of semiconductor nanowires by Wang etal. (2006). The synthesis proceeds by a solution-based catalysed growth mechanism in which nanometer-scale metallic droplets catalyse the decomposition of metallo-organic precursors and crystalline nanowire growth. 

Duan, X., and Lieber, C. M., General synthesis of compound semiconductor nanowires. Adv. Mater. 12,298 (2000). 

Germanium-catalyzed growth of zinc oxide nanowires a semiconductor catalyst for nanowire synthesis, Chem. 117 278-282. 

Fundamental aspects of vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) semiconductor nanowire growth are presented here. The synthesis of VLS semiconductor has been extended to different reaction media and pathways from the early chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach, including solution-liquid-solid (SLS) and supercritical fluid-liquid-solid (SFLS), laser-catalyzed growth, and vapor-liquid-solid-epitaxy. The properties of nanowires grown by these VLS embodiments are compared. In this entry, VLS growth of nanowire heterostructures and oriented and hyperbranched arrays is examined. In addition, surface passivation and functionalization are assessed, and the importance of these techniques in the progress toward VLS produced nanowire devices is detailed. 

Gudiksen MS, Lieber CM (2000) Diameter-selective synthesis of semiconductor nanowires. J Am Chem Soc 122 188... 

Metal particle catalyzed chemical vapor deposition is the most versatile VLS process (Table II) yielding a wide range of single crystal whiskers and nanowhiskers [1-2] [5-6], short amorphous or polycrystalline fibers [1] [7], and nanotubes [8]. Laser ablation of selected metal alloys is a recent VLS process used for the synthesis of semiconductor nanowire [74]. Metal particle catalyzed carbothermal reduction, another VLS process, yields single crystal whiskers [9-10]. Metal catalyzed arc discharge [11], metal particle catalyzed laser ablation [12], and metal particle catalyzed plasma arc discharge [13] yield nanotubes by a VLS mechanism. 

WaUentina J, Boigstrom MT (2011) Doping of semiconductor nanowires. J Mater Res 26 2142-2156 Wan G, Wang TH (2005) Single-crystalline Sb-doped SnO nanowires synthesis and gas sensor application. Chem Commun 30 3841-3843... 

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