Journal Article

FZJ-2021-05730

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Anomalous nucleation of crystals within amorphous germanium nanowires during thermal annealing

Camara, O. (Corresponding author)FZJ* ; Mir, A. H. ; Greaves, G. ; Donnelly, S. E. ; Hinks, J. A.

2021
IOP Publ. Bristol

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Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/30529  doi:10.1088/1361-6528/abcef1

Abstract: In this work, germanium nanowires rendered fully amorphous via xenon ion irradiation have been annealed within a transmission electron microscope to induce crystallization. During annealing crystallites appeared in some nanowires whilst others remained fully amorphous. Remarkably, even when nucleation occurred, large sections of the nanowires remained amorphous even though the few crystallites embedded in the amorphous phase were formed at a minimum of 200 °C above the temperature for epitaxial growth and 100 °C above the temperature for random nucleation and growth in bulk germanium. Furthermore, the presence of crystallites was observed to depend on the diameter of the nanowire. Indeed, the formation of crystallites occurred at a higher annealing temperature in thin nanowires compared with thicker ones. Additionally, nanowires with a diameter above 55 nm were made entirely crystalline when the annealing was performed at the temperature normally required for crystallization in germanium (i.e. 500 °C). It is proposed that oxygen atoms hinder both the formation and the growth of crystallites. Furthermore, as crystallites must reach a minimum size to survive and grow within the amorphous nanowires, the instability of crystallites may also play a limited role for the thinnest nanowires.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. Grundlagen der Elektrochemie (IEK-9)

Research Program(s):

1. 1223 - Batteries in Application (POF4-122) (POF4-122)

Appears in the scientific report 2021

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Database coverage:
; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Engineering, Computing and Technology ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF < 5 ; JCR ; National-Konsortium ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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