Novel semiconducting nanowire heterostructures: Synthesis, properties and applications

Abstract

Semiconducting nanowire heterostructures with well-controlled dimensions, compositions and crystallinities represent a new class of intriguing systems for the investigation of structure-property relationships and related applications. This feature article reviews our recent research progress in the design and utilization of templating methods for preparing axial (including nanotube shielded metal-semiconductor nanowire heterojunctions), radial (including side-to-side biaxial and sandwiched triaxial semiconductor nanowire heterostructures), and branched semiconducting (including self-assembly of semiconductor nanowires into hierarchical heterostructures) nanowire heterostructures with desired atomic structures, interfaces, morphologies, properties, and potential applications to meet the growing demands and specific requirements of new technologies. © 2009 The Royal Society of Chemistry.