Uniform Bi2S3 nanowires: Structure, growth, and field-effect transistors

Large-scale single-crystalline Bi2S3 nanowires were prepared by a simple one-step hydrothermal reaction between Bi(NO3)3 and Na2S2O3, without using any organics in the experiment. These Bi2S3 nanowires have uniform size diameters which are about 60 nm. The structure of the nanowires is determined to be of the orthorhombic phase, and the growth direction is along the [001] direction. The growth mechanism of the nanowires was investigated based on high-resolution transmission electron microscopy observations. The field-effect transistors (FETs) have been fabricated using a single Bi2S3 nanowire, n-type semiconductor behavior has been observed, and high on/off ratio of about 3 orders of magnitude has been achieved.