NIST researchers have developed a new method for producing semiconductor nanowires that could revolutionize the production of tiny electronic devices. By depositing atoms layer-by-layer on a silicon crystal under high vacuum, they’ve created thousands of nanowires made of gallium nitride alloys without using metal catalysts. This approach enhances luminescence and reduces defects, while also maintaining the purity and defect-free crystal structure of the nanowires.
The key innovation in the NIST technique is growing the nanowires through precisely defined holes in a stencil-like mask covering the silicon wafer. This allows for precise control of the nanowire’s diameter and placement, which is essential for widespread use. The technique controlled nanowire location almost perfectly, with wires growing uniformly through most openings and being absent on most of the mask surface. The research was partially supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Center on Nanoscale Science and Technology for Integrated Micro/Nano-Electromechanical Transducers (iMINT) at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Keywords: Nanowires, Semiconductors, Silicon
