Synthesis and characterization of amorphous SiO2 nanowires derived from a polymeric precursor

Bulk quantity and long-scale amorphous SiO2 nanowires have been prepared simply by direct pyrolysis of an iron-modified perhydropolysilazane (Fe-PHPS) at 1300 degrees C in the flowing Ar atmosphere. Scanning electronic microscope (SEM) study shows that most SiO2 nanowires have smooth surface and they consist of straight and smoothly curved parts, with diameters in the range of 50 to 200 nm and lengths up to 200 microm. Beside this normal form of SiO2 nanowires via the typical vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism, four other different helical forms of nanowires, named spring-shaped nanowires, twinborn nanospring, fishbone-shaped nanowires and braided-like helical SiO, nanowires, are also observed. The formation of these nanowires is proposed to be the modulated contact angle anisotropy (CAA) mechanism based on the VLS mechanism.     

Cobalt silicide nanocables grown on Co films: synthesis and physical properties

Single-crystalline cobalt silicide/SiO(x) nanocables have been grown on Co thin films on an SiO(2) layer by a self-catalysis process via vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. The nanocables consist of a core of CoSi nanowires and a silicon oxide shell with a length of several tens of micrometers. In the confined space in the oxide shell, the CoSi phase is stable and free from agglomeration in samples annealed in air ambient at 900?°C for 1?h. The nanocable structure came to a clear conclusion that the thermal stability of the silicide nanowires can be resolved by the shell encapsulation. Cobalt silicide nanowires were obtained from the nanocable structure. The electrical properties of the CoSi nanowires have been found to be compatible with their thin film counterpart and a high maximum current density of the nanowires has been measured. One way to obtain silicate nanowires has been demonstrated. The silicate compound, which is composed of cobalt, silicon and oxygen, was achieved. The Co silicide/oxide nanocables are potentially useful as a key component of silicate nanowires, interconnects and magnetic units in nanoelectronics.     

Effect of the working gas of the ion-assisted source on the optical and mechanical properties of SiO2 films deposited by dual ion beam sputtering with Si and SiO2 as the starting materials

Silicon and fused-silica targets are used as the starting materials for depositing silicon oxide (SiO2) films. The SiO2 films are prepared by a dual ion beam sputtering deposition system with a main ion source and an ion-assisted source with different working gases. The films deposited are then examined and compared by using a visible spectrophotometer, a Fourier-transform IR spectrophotometer, an atomic force microscope, and contact angle instruments. A Twyman-Green interferometer is employed to study the film stress by phase-shift interferometry. All the SiO2 films show excellent optical properties with extra-low extinction coefficients (below 2x10(-5)) and have no water absorption. When the working gas is O2 for the ion-assisted source, the deposited SiO2 films show good properties in terms of stress and roughness and with a good molecular bonding structure order for both targets. However, SiO2 films deposited from the fused-silica target had a larger contact angle, while those deposited from the silicon target had 2.5 times the deposition rate.     

Antireflective hydrophobic si subwavelength structures using thermally dewetted Ni/SiO2 nanomask patterns

We report the disordered silicon (Si) subwavelength structures (SWSs), which are fabricated with the use of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching in SiCl4 gas using nickel/silicon dioxide (Ni/SiO2) nanopattens as the etch mask, on Si substrates by varying the etching parameters for broadband antireflective and self-cleaning surfaces. For the fabricated Si SWSs, the antireflection characteristics are experimentally investigated and a theoretical analysis is made based on the rigorous coupled-wave analysis method. The desirable dot-like Ni nanoparticles on SiO2/Si substrates are formed by the thermal dewetting process of Ni films at 900 degrees C. The truncated cone shaped Si SWS with a high average height of 790 +/- 23 nm, which is fabricated by ICP etching with 5 sccm SiCl4 at 50 W RF power with additional 200 W ICP power under 10 mTorr process pressure, exhibits a low average reflectance of approximately 5% over a wide wavelength range of 450-1050 nm. The water contact angle of 110 degrees is obtained, indicating a hydrophobic surface. The calculated reflectance results are also reasonably consistent with the experimental data.     

Controlled growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanowires with different crystal orientation of the ZnO seed layer

A novel synthesis and growth method achieving vertically aligned zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires on a silicon dioxide (SiO(2)) coated silicon (Si) substrate is demonstrated. The growth direction of the ZnO nanowires is determined by the crystal structure of the ZnO seed layer, which is formed by the oxidation of a DC-sputtered Zn film. The [002] crystal direction of the seed layer is dominant under optimized thickness of the Zn film and thermal treatment. Vertically aligned ZnO nanowires on SiO(2) coated Si substrate are realized from the appropriately thick oxidized Zn seed layer by a vapor-solid growth mechanism by catalyst-free thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD). These experimental results raise the possibility of using the nanowires as functional blocks for high-density integration systems and/or photonic applications.     

Direct growth of core-shell SiC-SiO(2) nanowires and field emission characteristics

A simple, direct synthesis method was used to grow core-shell SiC-SiO(2) nanowires by heating NiO-catalysed silicon substrates. A carbothermal reduction of WO(3) provided a reductive environment and carbon source to synthesize crystalline SiC nanowires covered with SiO(2) sheaths at the growth temperature of 1000-1100?°C. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the SiC core was 15-25?nm in diameter and the SiO(2) shell layer was an average of 20?nm in thickness. The thickness of the SiO(2) shell layer could be controlled using hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching. Field emission results of core-shell SiC-SiO(2) and bare SiC nanowires showed that the SiC nanowires coated with an optimum SiO(2) thickness (10?nm) have a higher field emission current than the bare SiC nanowires.     

Toward local growth of individual nanowires on three-dimensional microstructures by using a minimally invasive catalyst templating method

We present a novel minimally invasive postprocessing method for catalyst templating based on focused charged particle beam structuring, which enables a localized vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth of individual nanowires on prefabricated three-dimensional micro- and nanostructures. Gas-assisted focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) was used to deposit a SiO(x) surface layer of about 10 × 10 μm(2) on top of a silicon atomic force microscopy cantilever. Gallium focused ion beam (FIB) milling was used to make a hole through the SiO(x) layer into the underlying silicon. The hole was locally filled with a gold catalyst via FEBID using either Me(2)Au(tfac) or Me(2)Au(acac) as precursor. Subsequent chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-induced VLS growth using a mixture of SiH(4) and Ar resulted in individual high quality crystalline nanowires. The process, its yield, and the resulting angular distribution/crystal orientation of the silicon nanowires are discussed. The presented combined FIB/FEBID/CVD-VLS process is currently the only proven method that enables the growth of individual monocrystalline Si nanowires on prestructured substrates and devices.     

Integrated freestanding single-crystal silicon nanowires: conductivity and surface treatment

Integrated freestanding single-crystal silicon nanowires with typical dimension of 100 nm × 100 nm × 5 μm are fabricated by conventional 1:1 optical lithography and wet chemical silicon etching. The fabrication procedure can lead to wafer-scale integration of silicon nanowires in arrays. The measured electrical transport characteristics of the silicon nanowires covered with/without SiO(2) support a model of Fermi level pinning near the conduction band. The I-V curves of the nanowires reveal a current carrier polarity reversal depending on Si-SiO(2) and Si-H bonds on the nanowire surfaces.     

Large-scale synthesis of mullite nanowires by molten salt method

Single-crystalline mullite (3Al2O3 2SiO2) nanowires have been produced in large quantities by a low cost and environmentally benign molten salt synthesis (MSS) method. The raw materials, Al2(SO4)3 and SiO2 powders, react in molten Na2SO4 at 1000 degrees C to produce mullite nanowires without the use of surfactants or templates. After the synthesis, the remaining salts can be easily separated from the products by washing with water. The final products are characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The thermal and chemical behavior of the raw materials is investigated by heating at a rate of 10 degrees C/min up to 1200 degrees C in air followed by thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analyses. The single-crystalline mullite nanowires have diameters of 30-80 nm and lengths from several hundreds of nanometers to micrometers and the growth mechanism is discussed.     

Temperature-dependent growth of germanium oxide and silicon oxide based nanostructures, aligned silicon oxide nanowire assemblies, and silicon oxide microtubes

We demonstrate the temperature-dependent growth of germanium oxide and silicon oxide based composite nanostructures (multiple nanojunctions of Ge nanowires and SiO(x) nanowires, Ge-filled SiO(2) nanotubes, Ge/SiO(2) coaxial nanocables, and a variety of interesting micrometer-sized structures), aligned SiO(x) nanowire assemblies, and SiO(x) microtubes. The structures were characterized by SEM, TEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and electron diffraction. The combination of laser ablation of a germanium target and thermal evaoporation of silicon monoxide powders resulted in the formation of Ge and SiO(x) species in a carrier gas; the nano/micro-sized structures grow by either a Ge-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid or a Ge-nanowire-templated vapor-solid process.     

微米SiO_2粒子对硅丙树脂防污涂料性能的影响

在涂料中添加微纳米粒子可改善其性能,目前有关微米粒子对涂料防污、防腐蚀性能影响的报道较少。用自制的硅丙树脂作为基料,通过添加微米SiO_2粒子制得了防污涂料。利用静态接触角、硬度、黏附力和电化学阻抗测试探究了微米SiO_2粒子对涂层性能的影响。结果表明:微米SiO_2可稳定硅丙树脂涂层的静态海水接触角和力学性能,并提高涂层的耐海水腐蚀性能,且当微米SiO_2粒子含量为16.7%(质量分数)时,涂层的静态海水接触角和耐蚀性能最好。     

Chemical synthesis and magnetotransport of magnetic semiconducting Fe1-xCoxSi alloy nanowires

We report single-crystal nanowires of magnetic semiconducting Fe1-xCoxSi alloys synthesized using a two-component single source precursor approach. Extending our previous syntheses of FeSi and CoSi nanowires from Fe(SiCl3)2(CO)4 and Co(SiCl3)(CO)4 precursors, we found that a homogeneous solution formed upon mixing these two precursors due to melting point suppression. This liquid constitutes the single-source precursor suitable for delivery through chemical vapor deposition, which enables the chemical synthesis of Fe1-xCoxSi alloy nanowires on silicon substrates covered with a thin (1-2 nm) SiO2 layer. Using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and mapping, we demonstrate two homogenously mixed alloy nanowire samples with very different Co substitution concentrations (x): 6+/-5%, the ferromagnetic semiconductor regime, and 44+/-5%, the helical magnetic regime. The magnetotransport properties of these alloy nanowires are pronouncedly different from that of the host structures FeSi and CoSi, as well as from one another, and consistent with the physical properties as expected for their corresponding compositions. These novel magnetic semiconducting silicide nanowires will be important building blocks for silicon-based spintronic nanodevices.     

Generation of hydrophilic poly(dimethylsiloxane) for high-performance microchip electrophoresis

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) has become one of the most widely used materials for microchip capillary electrophoresis and microfluidics. The popularity of this material is the result of its low cost, simple fabrication, and rugged elastomeric properties. The hydrophobic nature of PDMS, however, limits its applicability for microchip CE, microfluidic patterning, and other nonelectrophoresis applications. The surface of PDMS can be made hydrophilic using a simple air plasma treatment; however, this property is quickly lost through hydrophobic recovery caused by diffusion of unreacted oligomer to the surface. Here, a simple approach for the generation of hydrophilic PDMS with long-term stability in air is presented. PDMS is rendered hydrophilic through a simple two-step extraction/oxidation process. First, PDMS is extracted in a series of solvents designed to remove unreacted oligomers from the bulk phase. Second, the oligomer-free PDMS is oxidized in a simple air plasma, generating a stable layer of hydrophilic SiO2. The conversion of surface-bound siloxane to SiO2 was followed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. SiO2 on extracted-oxidized PDMS was stable for 7 days in air as compared to less than 3 h for native PDMS. Furthermore, the contact angle for modified PDMS was reduced to <40 degrees and remained low throughout the experiments. As a result of the decreased contact angle, capillary channels self-wet through capillary action, making the microchannels much easier to fill. Finally, the modification significantly improved the performance of the devices for microchip electrophoresis. The electroosmotic flow increased from 4.1 x 10(-4) to 6.8 x 10(-4) cm(2)/V.s for native compared to oxidized PDMS. Separation efficiencies for electrochemical detection also increased from 50 000 to 400 000 N/m for a 1.1-nL injection volume. The result of this modification is a significant improvement in the performance of PDMS for microchip electrophoresis and microfluidic applications.     

Nanowire lithography on silicon

Nanowire lithography (NWL) uses nanowires (NWs), grown and assembled by chemical methods, as etch masks to transfer their one-dimensional morphology to an underlying substrate. Here, we show that SiO2 NWs are a simple and compatible system to implement NWL on crystalline silicon and fabricate a wide range of architectures and devices. Planar field-effect transistors made of a single SOI-NW channel exhibit a contact resistance below 20 kOmega and scale with the channel width. Further, we assess the electrical response of NW networks obtained using a mask of SiO2 NWs ink-jetted from solution. The resulting conformal network etched into the underlying wafer is monolithic, with single-crystalline bulk junctions; thus no difference in conductivity is seen between a direct NW bridge and a percolating network. We also extend the potential of NWL into the third dimension, by using a periodic undercutting that produces an array of vertically stacked NWs from a single NW mask.     

Increasing active surface area to fabricate ultra-hydrophobic surface by using "Black silicon" with bosch etching process

Needle-shaped pillars so-called "Black silicon" (B-Si) were fabricated by etching cleaned silicon wafer with fluorine-based deep reactive ion etching plasma. The B-Si pillar with the pillar size (a) and spacing (b) of 250 nm, and height (h) of 6.47 microm, coated with SiOxFy film had water contact angle (WCA) and ethylene glycol contact angle (ECA) of 159.8 degrees and 135.5 degrees, respectively. After coating the pillar with trichloro(1H,1H, 2H,2H-perfluorooctyl)silane (TPFS), the WCA and ECA increased to 166.2 degrees and 161.8 degrees, respectively. At the optimum etching condition, the B-Si pillar with the size a = 376 nm, b = 576 nm, h = 6.47microm, and the aspect ratio of 14.80 showed the WCA and ECA of 4.25 degrees and 14.77 degrees, respectively. After coating with the TPFS, liquid droplets ran across the sample's surface rapidly and the WCA and ECA could not be measured. Moreover, when the pillar height was increased twice, the WCA and ECA of the B-Si with and without the TPFS coating were greater than 170 degrees, indicating excellent water-and-oil repellency and can be applied for Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS).     

Antireflective silica thin films with super water repellence via a solgel process

A solgel process was developed, through which silica films possessing both high antireflection and super water repellence were obtained. In this process, methyl-modified SiO2 sols synthesized by colloidal suspension of SiO2 particles and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) were used to deposit spinning-coating films on optical glass substrates. On the resultant films the contact angle for water increased with the increasing amount of HMDS in the reaction mixture. The biggest contact angle was 165 degrees, and the lowest reflectivity on one-sided film reached 0.03%. The antireflections were high all the while. One advantage of this process is that neither a roughened surface nor fluoroalkyltrialkoxylsilane (FAS) is needed to obtained super water repellence.     

One-dimensional silicon nanostructures fabricated by thermal evaporation

One-dimensional silicon nanostructures were fabricated by evaporating silicon monoxide (SiO) powders at 1050 °C and collecting the products on gold-coated silicon substrates. The uniform and dense silicon nanowires with the diameter of about 20–30 nm and the length of tens of microns were observed. However, the tufts of silicon nanowires were found while the silicon substrates without gold coating were used. Moreover, the chain-like silicon nano-structures with obvious core-shell morphology that displays a homojunction structure composed of cylindrical section and the oscillating section was also found. Finally, the biforked silicon nanowires with the same diameter of branches were detected, which is hard to understand on the current growth mechanism of silicon nanowires.     

硅烷偶联剂/二氧化硅界面层的表征研究

本文为研究γ-MPS/SiO₂界面层厚度与形态,使用自编程序,通过计算机数值模拟和图形分析后确定:当SiO₂膜厚为1250～1450?,激光源入射角为65～75°的最佳椭偏仪测定条件时,灵敏度可提高至1?,从而能在国产椭偏仪上对10?左右的界面超薄层膜具有足够的测试灵敏度。实验中应用的SiO₂/Si平片是一种新的适宜于作界面研究的玻纤模型。由此模型凭借椭偏仪和扫描电镜,可获得经γ-MPS水溶液处理再经溶剂淋洗后形成的γ-MPS/SiO₂界面层的重要信息:界面层结构是1～2个单分子层;形态为连续的膜层,偶尔可见被淋洗去的γ-MPS水解介聚物残留的边缘隆起的椭圆形凹坑。      

The growth of ultralong and highly blue luminescent gallium oxide nanowires and nanobelts, and direct horizontal nanowire growth on substrates

We report the growth of ultralong β-Ga(2)O(3) nanowires and nanobelts on silicon substrates using a vapor phase transport method. The growth was carried out in a tube furnace, with gallium metal serving as the gallium source. The nanowires and nanobelts can grow to lengths of hundreds of nanometers and even millimeters. Their full lengths have been captured by both scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical images. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images have been used to study the crystal structures of these nanowires and nanobelts. Strong blue emission from these ultralong nanostructures can be readily observed by irradiation with an ultraviolet (UV) lamp. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy measurements gave a band gap of 4.56?eV for these nanostructures. The blue emission shows a band maximum at 470?nm. Interestingly, by annealing the silicon substrates in an oxygen atmosphere to form a thick SiO(2) film, and growing Ga(2)O(3) nanowires over the sputtered gold patterned regions, horizontal Ga(2)O(3) nanowire growth in the non-gold-coated regions can be observed. These horizontal nanowires can grow to as long as over 10?μm in length. Their composition has been confirmed by TEM characterization. This represents one of the first examples of direct horizontal growth of oxide nanowires on substrates.     

Effect of gas evolution at solid-liquid interface on contact angle between liquid Si and SiO2

The contact angle between liquid Si and SiO₂ was measured with the sessile drop method at 1723 K. The contact angle changed very unusually due to the evolution of SiO gas at the solid/liquid interface. It was found that the real contact angle between liquid Si and SiO₂ is about 80° or less at 1723 K though the apparent contact angle of 95° was observed for a long time during the experiment. The difference in the contact angle can be explained with a model of a composite material. Although the real contact angle is more important in a physical point of view, the apparent contact angle should be adopted in some cases such as simulation works.