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Fabrication of silicon nanowire network in aluminum thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Vincent H. Liu
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94709
Husam H. Abu-Safe
Affiliation:
Arkansas Photovoltaic Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701
Hameed A. Naseem
Affiliation:
Arkansas Photovoltaic Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701
William D. Brown
Affiliation:
Arkansas Photovoltaic Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701
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Abstract

The formation of isolated silicon nanowires and silicon nanowire networks using aluminum thin film is investigated. The formation mechanism of the network mainly depends on the diffusion of silicon in the aluminum thin film. The silicon stops at the film grain boundaries. The continuous accumulations of silicon at these boundaries give raise to a continuous network of silicon nanowires. Characterization of the nanowires has been done using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. These results are unique in the fact that the nanowires found are grown in a horizontal fashion instead of the more common vertical direction. Most of the nanowires have a diameter of about 60 nm and a length of over 10 μm.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2005

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