An approach to the synthesis of silicon carbide nanowires by simple thermal evaporation of ferrocene onto silicon wafers

Scales of silicon carbide nanowires (SiC-NWs) with high quality were synthesized by direct thermal evaporation of ferrocene onto silicon wafers at high temperature. Ferrocene decomposed into iron and carbon, which was subsequently treated with silicon to form SiC-NWs at high temperature. The SiC-NWs possess small diameters of approximate to 20 nm and lengths of several mu ms. Furthermore, the samples show a uniform morphology, crystalline structure, and a very thin oxide layer. The main crystal direction of [1111 was confirmed by high-resolution field-emission-transmission electron microscopy (HR-FETEM). The Raman scattering spectra showed two peaks at approximate to 796 (TO) and approximate to 980 cm(-1) (LO) with varying intensity ratios at different positions. The band line fluctuation was contributed to the Raman selection rules. With reference to the experimental results, we suggested a tentative growth model according to the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism.