A LIQUID SOLUTION SYNTHESIS OF SINGLE-CRYSTAL GERMANIUM QUANTUM WIRES

A liquid solution synthesis for preparing single crystal germanium quantum wires is presented. The synthesis is based on the reduction of GeCl4 and phenyl-GeCl3 by sodium metal in an alkane solvent at elevated temperature and pressure. The synthesis produces single crystal Ge quantum wires of 70-300 angstrom diameter and up to 10 mum in length. With an excess of sodium in the reaction, the diameter of the wires is reduced to below 50 angstrom. Implications for the chemical control of both size and shape are discussed.