Transition metal silicide nanowires growth and electrical characterization

Abstract

We report the characterization of self-assembled epitaxially grown transition metal, Fe, Co, Ni, silicide nanowires (TM-NW) growth and electrical transport properties. NWs grown by reactive deposition epitaxy on various silicon surfaces show a dimension of 10 nm by 5 nm, and several micrometers in length. NW orientations strongly depend on substrate crystal orientation, and follow the substrate symmetry. By using conductive-AFM (c-AFM), the electron transport properties of one single NW were measured, the resistivity of crystalline nickel silicide NW was estimated to be 2 × 10-2 Ωcm. © 2009 Chinese Physical Society and IOP Publishing Ltd.