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.