TY - JOUR

T1 - Effects of temperature on the ion-induced bending of germanium and silicon nanowires

AU - Camara, Osmane

AU - Hanif, Imran

AU - Tunes, Matheus

AU - Harrison, Robert

AU - Greaves, Graeme

AU - Donnelly, Stephen

AU - Hinks, Jonathan

PY - 2017/7/31

Y1 - 2017/7/31

N2 - Nanowires can be manipulated using an ion beam via a phenomenon known as ion-induced bending (IIB). While the mechanisms behind IIB are still the subject of debate, accumulation of point defects or amorphisation are often cited as possible driving mechanisms. Previous results in the literature on IIB of Ge and Si nanowires have shown that after irradiation the aligned nanowires are fully amorphous. Experiments were recently reported in which crystalline seeds were preserved in otherwise-amorphous ion-beam-bent Si nanowires which then facilitated solid-phase epitaxial growth (SPEG) during subsequent annealing. However, the ion-induced alignment of the nanowires was lost during the SPEG. In this work, in situ ion irradiations in a transmission electron microscope at 400 °C and 500 °C were performed on Ge and Si nanowires, respectively, to supress amorphisation and the build-up of point defects. Both the Ge and Si nanowires were found to bend during irradiation thus drawing into question the role of mechanisms based on damage accumulation under such conditions. These experiments demonstrate for the first time a simple way of realigning singlecrystal Ge and Si nanowires via IIB whilst preserving their crystal structure.

AB - Nanowires can be manipulated using an ion beam via a phenomenon known as ion-induced bending (IIB). While the mechanisms behind IIB are still the subject of debate, accumulation of point defects or amorphisation are often cited as possible driving mechanisms. Previous results in the literature on IIB of Ge and Si nanowires have shown that after irradiation the aligned nanowires are fully amorphous. Experiments were recently reported in which crystalline seeds were preserved in otherwise-amorphous ion-beam-bent Si nanowires which then facilitated solid-phase epitaxial growth (SPEG) during subsequent annealing. However, the ion-induced alignment of the nanowires was lost during the SPEG. In this work, in situ ion irradiations in a transmission electron microscope at 400 °C and 500 °C were performed on Ge and Si nanowires, respectively, to supress amorphisation and the build-up of point defects. Both the Ge and Si nanowires were found to bend during irradiation thus drawing into question the role of mechanisms based on damage accumulation under such conditions. These experiments demonstrate for the first time a simple way of realigning singlecrystal Ge and Si nanowires via IIB whilst preserving their crystal structure.

KW - Bending of nanowires

KW - High temperature

KW - In situ transmission electron microscopy

KW - Nano-manipulation

KW - Nanowires

KW - Radiation damage

KW - Semiconductors

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85027161309&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/2053-1591/aa7e05

DO - 10.1088/2053-1591/aa7e05

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85027161309

VL - 4.2017

JO - Materials Research Express : MRX

JF - Materials Research Express : MRX

SN - 2053-1591

IS - 7

M1 - 075056

ER -