Structure and Interfacial Properties of Germanium Nanowires Grown on Titanium

Single-crystal germanium nanowires have been grown directly on amorphous titanium films using the vapor-liquid-solid method and studied using transmission electron microscopy. Forty nanometer wires are observed to grow only in the < 111 > and < 112 > directions and have a sharp (similar to 1 nm) metal-semiconductor interface to both the catalyst (Au) and the titanium substrate. They exhibit a defective base region comparable in size to the catalyst diameter terminated by a kink structure after which they are single crystalline. The physical characteristics of these nanowires are examined. A simple lithographic method to produce grids for rapid characterization is introduced. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3457852] All rights reserved.