Investigation of Silicon Oxide (SiO_x) Nanowires Growth with Gold/Chromium Catalysts

摘要

We report the growth of high density silicon Oxide (SiO_x) nanowires at an elevated temperature. The nanowires density is enhanced by inserting a thin layer of chromium metal in gold/Si catalyst system. The SiO_x nanowires were grown with gold/chromium catalysts stack layer on the Si substrate at different temperatures ranging from 1050°C to 1150°C. Under the catalysis reaction of the gold/chromium, the growth density of the SiO_x nanowires is increased, since the chromium layer acts as a diffusion barrier and retards the gold diffusion downwards into the Si substrate.