Ordered arrays of high-quality single-crystalline α-Si₃N₄ nanowires: Synthesis, properties and applications

Ordered arrays of high-quality single-crystalline α-Si₃N₄ nanowires (NWs) have been synthesized via thermal evaporation and detailed characteristics of the NWs have been analyzed by employing scanning electron microscope (SEM) along with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photospectroscopy (XPS), infrared (IR), photoluminescence (PL) and in situ I-V measurements by STM/TEM holder. The microscopic results revealed that the NWs having diameter in the range of ~30-100 nm and length in microns. Furthermore, the NWs are found to be single crystalline grown along [0 0 1] direction. The elemental composition and valence states of elements are analyzed by EDS and XPS. The room temperature PL spectra exhibit a broad range visible emission band. The electron transport property of a single NW illustrates the symmetric I-V curve of a semiconductor. The possible growth mechanism is also briefly discussed.