A general low-temperature CVD synthetic route to fabricate low-melting-point-metal compounds 1D nanostructures

By introducing the inert salt CaF2 as dispersant, a convenient low-temperature CVD method has been developed to grow low-melting-point-metal nitride or oxide nanostructures, such as GaN nanowires, AlN nanorods, Ga2O3 nanowires and nanobelts, SnO2 nanorods and nanobelts, In2O3 nanosheets and nanowires. All the materials above were successfully grown on Si substrates through the direct nitridation or oxidation of metals-CaF2 mixture in the range of 650-750 °C. Compared with the necessary temperatures previously reported also through the direct nitridation or oxidation of low-melting-point-metal powders, herein low-temperature synthesis could be attributed to the dispersion of inert salt CaF2 which help to substantially increase the surface areas and the vapor pressures of the corresponding metal precursors. The simplicity of the preparation procedure and the wide potential applications of this route make this study technologically interesting.