Oxide-assisted semiconductor nanowire growth

A new method based on oxide-assisted growth has been developed that is capable of producing a bulk quantity of various semiconductor nanowires. The presence of oxides in the target is a common and essential ingredient for the synthesis when using laser ablation or thermal evaporation techniques, in order that the targets are capable of generating semiconductor oxides in the vapor phase. Subsequent decomposition of the vapor-phase oxides at high temperatures is important in the nucleation and growth of high quality nanowires.