Low Temperature Growth of In2O3 and InN Nanocrystals on Si(111) via Chemical Vapour Deposition Based on the Sublimation of NH4Cl in In

Indium oxide (In₂O₃) nanocrystals (NCs) have been obtained via atmospheric pressure, chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) on Si(111) via the direct oxidation of In with Ar:10% O₂ at 1000 °C but also at temperatures as low as 500 °C by the sublimation of ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl) which is incorporated into the In under a gas flow of nitrogen (N₂). Similarly InN NCs have also been obtained using sublimation of NH₄Cl in a gas flow of NH₃. During oxidation of In under a flow of O₂ the transfer of In into the gas stream is inhibited by the formation of In₂O₃ around the In powder which breaks up only at high temperatures, i.e. T > 900 °C, thereby releasing In into the gas stream which can then react with O₂ leading to a high yield formation of isolated 500 nm In₂O₃ octahedrons but also chains of these nanostructures. No such NCs were obtained by direct oxidation for T _G < 900 °C. The incorporation of NH₄Cl in the In leads to the sublimation of NH₄Cl into NH₃ and HCl at around 338 °C which in turn produces an efficient dispersion and transfer of the whole In into the gas stream of N₂ where it reacts with HCl forming primarily InCl. The latter adsorbs onto the Si(111) where it reacts with H₂O and O₂ leading to the formation of In₂O₃ nanopyramids on Si(111). The rest of the InCl is carried downstream, where it solidifies at lower temperatures, and rapidly breaks down into metallic In upon exposure to H₂O in the air. Upon carrying out the reaction of In with NH₄Cl at 600 °C under NH₃ as opposed to N₂, we obtain InN nanoparticles on Si(111) with an average diameter of 300 nm.