Fabrication and short-wavelength light emission of Si nanowires grown via quasi solid-liquid-solid mechanism

Via quasi-solid-liquid-solid growth, large quantities of blue-luminescent Si nanowires were fabricated by annealing a pulsed laser deposited Si film on a Ni layer at 1100 °C in N2. While diffusing to the sample surface at high temperature, the underlying Ni reacts with Si to form Ni-rich silicide which catalyzes the growth of nanowires. Composition analysis and microstructure characterization reveal that the fabricated nanowires have an average diameter of 50 nm and are composed of crystalline Si core of several nanometers and amorphous oxide sheath. Intense and stable luminescence in the spectral region from ultraviolet to blue is observed at room temperature under light excitation.