Silver catalyzed ultrathin silicon nanowires grown by low-temperature chemical-vapor-deposition

In this work we demonstrate the synthesis of monocrystalline silicon nanowire using silver particles as catalysts at temperatures of less than 500 degrees C by means of ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition. The nanowires were grown epitaxially on silicon substrates and had diameters of about 10 nm. We furthermore show that the silver remnants can be wet chemically removed with potassium ferricyanide and sodium thiosulfate. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3393601]