Vapor-phase catalyst delivery method for growing SiC nanowires

A method was developed for growing SiC nanowires without depositing a metal catalyst on the targeted surfaces prior to the CVD growth. The proposed method utilizes in-situ vapor-phase catalyst delivery via sublimation of the catalyst from a metal source placed in the hot zone of the CVD reactor, followed by condensation of the catalyst-rich vapor on the bare substrate surface to form the catalyst nanoparticles. The vapor-phase catalyst delivery and the resulting nanowire density was found to be influenced by both the gas flow rate and the catalyst diffusion through the boundary layer above the catalyst source. The origin of undesirable bushes of nanowires and the role of the C/Si ratio were established.