Low‐Temperature Formation of Well‐Aligned Nanocrystalline Si/SiOx Composite Nanowires

Well‐aligned nanocrystalline (nc)‐Si/SiO_x composite nanowires have been deposited on various substrates at 120 °C using SiCl₄/H₂ in a hot‐filament chemical vapor deposition reactor. Structural and compositional analyses reveal that silicon nanocrystals are embedded in the amorphous SiO_x nanowires. The nc‐Si/SiO_x composite nanowires are transparent in the range 500–900 nm. Photoluminescence spectra of the nc‐Si/SiO_x composite nanowires have a broad emission band, ranging from 420 to 525 nm. Water vapor from the chamber wall plays a crucial role in the formation of the well‐aligned nanowires. A possible mechanism for the formation of the composite nanowires is suggested.