Nano Express
Self-assembled growth of MnSi~1.7 nanowires with a single orientation and a large aspect ratio on Si(110) surfaces
1 Centre for Analysis and Testing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
2 Department of Physics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
Nanoscale Research Letters 2013, 8:45 doi:10.1186/1556-276X-8-45
Published: 22 January 2013Abstract
MnSi~1.7 nanowires (NWs) with a single orientation and a large aspect ratio have been formed
on a Si(110) surface with the molecular beam epitaxy method by a delicate control
of growth parameters, such as temperature, deposition rate, and deposition time. Scanning
tunneling microscopy (STM) was employed to study the influence of these parameters
on the growth of NWs. The supply of free Si atoms per unit time during the silicide
reaction plays a critical role in the growth kinetics of the NWs. High growth temperature
and low deposition rate are favorable for the formation of NWs with a large aspect
ratio. The orientation relationship between the NWs and the reconstruction rows of
the Si(110) surface suggests that the NWs grow along the 
direction of the silicon substrate. High-resolution STM and backscattered electron
scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the NWs are composed of MnSi~1.7.
