Low temperature and self-catalytic growth of tetragonal SnO nanobranch

Branched nanostructures of SnO with a single crystalline tetragonal structure in the < 110> longitudinal direction were vertically grown on silicon substrates using a low-temperature vapor transport process. The growth mechanism of SnO nanobranches was revealed as a multi-step process of V-L-S(vapor-liquid-solid) growth; initial condensation and coalescence of Sn vapors on the substrate formed a SnO buffer layer and was followed by the self-catalytic V-L-S growth of SnO nanotrunks. Secondly, additional condensation of Sn vapors on the (110) surface of the nanotrunk led to epitaxial growth of nanobranches in the < 110> direction by the same self-catalytic V-L-S process.