Large-scale fabrication of tellurium nanowire arrays by magnetron sputtering with controllable morphology

Abstract

A convenient template-free magnetron sputtering method was employed for fabrication of highly ordered single crystalline tellurium nanowire arrays at moderate substrate temperature (200℃). The phase, morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared films were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). The results indicate that the produced nanowire arrays are composed of single-crystalline Te nanowires, which grow along the [101] direction with needle like morphology. These nanowires have an average diameter of 100 nm and length up to about 1 μm. Working pressure and substrate temperature are both essential for the formation of Te nanowire arrays, which balance the diffusion and growth of Te along [101] direction and (101) plane. The growth mechanism of such nanostructure is proposed, including an absorbing-combining-nucleation-growth process.