Semiconductor Nanowire Synthesis and Characterization

(Faculty mentor: Joan Redwing)

 

Nanoelectronic devices assembled from structures such as nanotubes and nanowires have tremendous potential for a wide range of applications. They may serve as detectors in chemical and biological sensing applications or as interconnects in high density molecular electronic circuits. The unique electronic and optical characteristics that arise in low dimensional semiconductor nanostructures due to quantum confinement are also of interest for devices such as quantum transistors and nanoscale light emitters.

 

We are working on novel methods to synthesize, assemble and study semiconductor nanowires that may serve as building blocks for future nanoscale devices and circuits. We have developed a technique to synthesize silicon nanowires with controlled diameters and lengths by utilizing nanoporous membranes, shown in Figure 1, as templates for metal catalyzed crystal growth. The nanowires grow inside the pores of the membrane, which serve to define the final diameter of the wires. Wet etching is used to release the wires from the membrane into solution. A sample of silicon nanowires fabricated using this technique is shown in Figure 2. We are working on methods to control the conductivity of the wires through intentional doping as well as the fabrication of junctions and heterostructure in the wires. This project involves fabrication work as well as optical and electrical characterization to study the properties of the nanowires.