Cross-sectional studies of epitaxial growth of InP and GaP nanowires on Si and Ge

Heteroepitaxial growth of III-V wires on Si and Ge was performed using either MOVPE or laser ablation. The epitaxial relation between wire and substrate was studied using cross-sectional TEM and X-ray diffraction. For both GaP wires on Si and InP wires on Ge perfect epitaxy was observed. In the initial stage of the growth process, the,old particles partly sink into the Si substrate. During subsequent wire growth, the Si that had been dissolved in the gold particle is excreted above the Si Surface. Due to the interaction of the gold particle with the substrate, the final substrate/wire interface displays a roughness on the nanometer scale.