Si and Ge nanowire growth papers

This week’s journal club items (delayed by a few days due to travel) are two recent papers by IBM group on Vapor-Liquid-Solid growth of silicon and germanium nanowires, using properties of AuSi and AuGe low-temperature eutectic alloys.

The first one is a Nature letter by Hannon et al., investigating migration of Au in formation of Si nanories.

The second one (by the same group) is a Science report by Kadambaka et al., on Ge nanowire growth below eutectic point, via vapor-solid-solid growth mechanism, which allows for control of rate and in some cases shape of the nanoparticles.

Bonus item: another closely related paper on this subject is already mentioned previous work by Peter and Eli Sutter on production and manipulation of “zeptoliter” droplets of AuGe in April issue of Nature Materials.