FIB Method of Sectioning of III-V Core-Multi-Shell Nanowires for Analysis of Core/Sell Interfaces by High Resolution TEM

The core-multishell wurtzite structure (In, Ga) As-(Ga, Al) As-(Ga, Mn) As semiconductor nanowires have been successfully grown on GaAs(111) B substrates using MBE technique. The nanowires cores were grown with gold eutectic catalyser in vapour-liquid-solid growth mode. The double shell overgrowth, on the side facets of nanowires, was performed using lower substrate temperature (about 400 degrees C, and 230 degrees C, for (Ga, Al) As, and (Ga, Mn) As shell growth, respectively). The polytypic ordering, defects, chemistry and geometric perfection of the core and the shells have been analysed at atomic level by advanced transmission electron microscope techniques with the use of axial and longitudinal section of individual nanowires prepared by focused ion beam. High quality cross-sections suitable for quantitative transmission electron microscope analysis have been obtained and enabled analysis of interfaces between the core and the shells with near atomic resolution. All investigated shells are epitaxial without misfit dislocations at the interface. Some of the shells thicknesses are not symmetric, which is due to the shadowing effects of neighbouring nanowires and directional character of the elemental fluxes in the MBE growth process.