Silicon nanowire devices

Abstract

Transport measurements were carried out on 15–35 nm diameter silicon nanowires grown using ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{\mathrm{4}}$ chemical vapor deposition via Au or Zn particle-nucleated vapor-liquid-solid growth at $\text{440\hspace{0.05em}°}\mathrm{C}.$ Both Al and Ti/Au contacts to the wires were investigated. The wires, as produced, were essentially intrinsic, although Au nucleated wires exhibited a slightly higher conductance. Thermal treatment of the fabricated devices resulted in better electrical contacts, as well as diffusion of dopant atoms into the nanowires, and increased the nanowire conductance by as much as ${10}^4.$ Three terminal devices indicate that the doping of the wires is $p$ type.