X-ray diffraction profiles of Si nanowires with trapezoidal cross-sections

Comparisons of the experimental and calculated X-ray diffraction profiles have been made for Si nanowires with trapezoidal cross-sections. Examined samples are periodically arranged nanowires prepared on a silicon-on-insulator wafer by electron-beam lithography, so that they are isolated from Si substrate. The nanowire periodicity gives rise to diffractions at additional reciprocal lattice points, which we employ to avoid the mixture of the diffraction from the Si substrate. The experimental diffraction profiles are found to be in good agreement with the square modulus of the Fourier transform of the trapezoidal cross-sections determined from transmission electron micrographs.