Nano metal templates for developing semiconductor nanowires

Abstract

Nanotechnology is the science dealing with material structures with nanometer scales. Material at this size, atoms and molecules, work differently due to the quantum size effects. These phenomena of atoms and molecules provide the nanoscale materials’ variety of surprising and interesting applications. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. It is about 1/80,000 of the diameter of a human hair. Nanotechnology should not be viewed as a single technique that only affects specific areas. It is relating to every single science which is benefiting a whole array of areas from the environment to healthcare and to hundreds of commercial products. Semiconductor nanowires are one of practical discoveries of nanotechnology. These semiconductor nanowires will bring the break-through new technologies in applications such as electrical, optical, thermoelectric, chemical and biochemical applications [1]. Semiconductor nanowires are synthesized from the self-assembled nano particles, droplets or clusters of the thin metal film. Therefore, nano metal templates for developing semiconductor nanowires are researched widely and deeply to be able to offer mass production of semiconductor nanowires for future integration researches and technology revolution in microelectronic industries. Diameters of semiconductor nanowires varies some properties of transport, optical and thermoelectric. The importance of diameters or sizes of these nanowires is dependent on their applications accordingly. In this project, a number of successful experiments are observed to provide nano metal templates. Semiconductor nanowires of the smallest diameter from 8nm to the largest diameter 400nm will be discussed. There are three main parameters, such as annealing temperature, annealing time and the thickness of the metal thin film, to control the size of these extremely small particles. Only two parameters – the thickness of the metal thin film and annealing temperature will be examined in all experiments. The thicknesses of 2nm, 4nm, 7nm and 9nm will be done experiments at annealing temperatures 800ºC, 900ºC, 1000ºC and 1200ºC. Their results will be explained.