Syntaxial growth of Ge/Mn-germanide nanowire heterostructures

We report the growth of free-standing one-dimensional Ge/Mn-germanide nanowire heterostructures by chemical vapor deposition and provide detailed description of the growth mechanism. Self-assembled manganese-germanide particles seed the growth of Ge nanowires (GeNWs) and simultaneously elongate along a parallel axis, resulting in syntaxial growth of the two phases. The GeNW growth is limited by GeH4 decomposition, whereas the germanide growth is limited by reaction of Mn at the growth interface. This syntaxial growth mechanism provides a novel route to axial metal/semiconductor nanowire heterostructures.