Structural and Chemical Properties of ZnTe Nanowires Grown on GaAs

摘要

ZnTe nanowires produced by molecular beam epitaxy via the vapour/liquid/solid mechanism were studied by transmission electron microscopy. The wires grew along the ?111? directions pointing out of the (001)-oriented GaAs substrate. The length of the wires amounted to some microns depending on the growth time. The mean diameter ranged between 30 and 60 nm depending on the size of the gold droplet. The majority of the wires exhibited stacking faults with only a few {111} monolayers sequence perpendicular to the wire axis as revealed by high-resolution TEM. Analysing the sidewall of the nanowires an enrichment of oxygen was detected by electron energy loss spectroscopy. The gold spheres at the tips of nanowires additionally contained gallium and tellurium. The gallium was incorporated during the initial formation of the eutectic droplets at the GaAs substrate.