Growth of Silicon Nanowires by Heating Si substrate

Amorphous silicon nanowires were prepared by heating an Si substrate at high temperatures using an Ni (or Au) catalyst.The nanowires have a diameter of 10-40nm and a length of up to several tens of micrometres.Unlike the well-known vapour-liquid-solid mechanism,a solid-liquid-solid mechanism appeared to control the nanowire growth.The heating process had a strong influence on the growth of silicon nanowires.It was found that ambient gas was necessary to grow nanowires.This method can be used to prepare other kinds of nanowires.