Low-temperature synthesis of single-crystal germanium nanowires by chemical vapor deposition

Live-wire potential: Low-temperature growth of Ge nanowires has been achieved by the chemical vapor deposition of GeH4 onto a SiO2 substrate coated with Au nanoparticles (see picture). This technique, which represents the mildest growth conditions for single-crystal nanowire synthesis, can also be used for patterned growth processes. Under such conditions, the growth of high-quality nanowires on a variety of substrates is possible, which may yield many possibilities in nanotechnological applications.