Facile synthesis of Ge1-xSnx nanowires

We report a facile one-pot solution phase synthesis of one-dimensional Ge1-xSnx nanowires. These nanowires were synthesized in situ via a solution-liquid-solid (SLS) approach in which triphenylchlorogermane was reduced by sodium borohydride in the presence of tin nanoparticle seeds. Straight Ge1-xSnx nanowires were obtained with an average diameter of 60 20 nm and an approximate aspect ratio of 100. Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis revealed that tin was homogeneously incorporated within the germanium lattices at levels up to 10 at%, resulting in a measured lattice constant of 0.5742 nm. The crystal structure and growth orientation of the nanowires were investigated using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The nanowires adopted a face-centred-cubic structure with individual wires exhibiting growth along either the < 111 >, < 110 > or < 112 > directions, in common with other group IV nanowires. Growth in the < 112 > direction was found to be accompanied by longitudinal planar twin defects.