Silicon nanowires synthesis on a submicronic terminal: Structural and electrical characterization

In this work, we investigate localized silicon nanowires synthesis in a room temperature-controlled silane filled chamber using submicronic resistors as heating devices. These resistors consist in circuit-connected W wires obtained, on silicon oxide substrates, by focused ion beam induced deposition (FIBID) technology. Our study demonstrates that the morphology of the synthesized nanowires is temperature and time dependent revealing a thermal gradient but also both vapor-liquid-solid and vapor-solid growth effects. Typical silicon nanowires dimensions are a length of 1 - 2 μ m and diameters of 30-40 nm. Structural characterization is performed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy using high energy electron transparent self-supported silicon nitride membranes. Electrical characteristics of FIBID- and self-connected nanowires are obtained. In both cases, they exhibit rectifying behavior.