Facet structure of GaAs nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy

The shape and facets of GaAs nanowires grown by molecular beam epitaxy have been identified by the use of the diffuse scattering around the Bragg reflection from the parts of the nanowires having different crystal structures. The zinc blende parts of the nanowires are shown to have {111} facets in the form of truncated octahedrons, whereas the facets of the wurtzite structure are {10 (1) over bar0}. A minor part of the nanowires have a new structure consisting of a superlattice of regular and twinned structures only six bilayer thick. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.