Reassembling of Ni and Pt catalyst in the vapor–liquid–solid growth of GaN nanowires

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 65; no. 15; pp. 2458 - 2461
• Main Authors: Park, Eunmi, Shim, Sojung, Ha, Ryong, Oh, Eunsoon, Lee, Byoung Woo, Choi, Heon-Jin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2011
• Subjects: Catalyst; Catalysts; Crystals; Diffusion coating; Gallium nitrides; GaN nanowires; Micrometers; Nanowires; Nickel; Platinum; Raman spectroscopy; Reassembling; VLS mechanism; VLS mechanism; GaN nanowires; Raman spectroscopy; Reassembling; Catalyst
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2011.04.066

The growth of GaN nanowires on sapphire substrates coated with Ni or Pt catalyst was investigated to address their behavior in a vapor–liquid–solid mechanism. Our observations revealed that both the two catalysts, which led to the growth of nanowires, behave rather complex, including diffusion and re-agglomeration from the coated films to the surface of the micro crystals that is formed in an early stage of growth by vapor–solid mechanism. GaN nanowires have a diameter and length of ~100 nm and several tens of micrometers, respectively, and tend to align epitaxially on the facets of the micro crystals. Re-assembling of metal catalyst in the course of the growth of GaN nanowires. [Display omitted] ► Ni and Pt as catalysts for the VLS growth of GaN nanowires. ► Interfacial layers are formed at early stage. ► Catalysts are re-assembled on the interfacial layer in advance of VLS growth. ► Re-assembling makes difficult to control the GaN nanowire growth.