Erbium Surface-Enriched Silicon Nanowires

Abstract

The synthesis of silicon nanowires containing erbium in a discrete layered structure has been achieved. These wires are prepared by the pyrolysis of silane and a volatile erbium complex on a gold catalyst surface, with the relative size of the wire and sample crystallinity affected by the timing in which erbium is introduced into the reactant stream. Products were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Given their ability to demonstrate the desired near-infrared luminescence at 1540 nm, the synthesis of these erbium surface-enriched Si nanostructures provides a synthetic strategy for new types of optically active layered platforms for studies in fundamental photophysics, carrier transport, and nanophotonics.