Connected Electrodes by the Growth of Germanium Dioxide Nanowires
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0951-E09-43
Connected Electrodes by the Growth of Germanium Dioxide Nanowires Chun-I Wu1 and Tim P. Hogan2 1 Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, 2120 Engineering Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824 2 Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, 2120 Engnieering Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824
ABSTRACT Germanium dioxide nanowires have gained significant interest lately due to the the bandgap of 2.44 eV, and high index of refraction, n=1.63. In this paper we aim at investigating the lateral growth of high density metal-catalyzed germanium dioxide nanowires between electrodes. The gaps between two electrodes varied. The catalyst metal was placed on the electrodes, followed by a thermal annealing process, resulting in lateral growth of germanium dioxide whiskers with several microns length and eventually the formation of bridge-like nanostructures. These whiskers have certain unique properties, such as a high surface-to-volume ratio and the capability of connecting two electrodes. Because of these properties, the growth of whiskers from the electrodes has the potential to be developed as electronic devices such as nanosensors. These products are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), as well as X-Ray diffraction (XRD). INTRODUCTION Possessing a high surface-to-volume ratio renders free-standing nanostructures very sensitive to the charged species absorbed on their surfaces. This property makes them especially attractive for sensor applications. The lateral growth of GaAs nanowires by metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on a GaAs substrate has been reported [1,2]. Also, the lateral growth of silicon nanowires between two silicon surfaces through chemical vapour deposition (CVD) has been investigated to a large degree[3]. Germanium dioxide, as a promising material, has been extensively studied regarding its optical and electronic properties, and so has the growth of germanium dioxide nanowires through different methods. More recently, GeO2 nanowires were prepared by physical evaporation [4], thermal treatment [5], carbon nanotube confined reaction of Ge [6], laser ablation [7], heating in an oxygen environment [8], thermal oxidation [9], and carbothermal reduction reaction [10]. We have reported the result that thermal annealing of germanium under the sub-atmosphere condition leads to the growth of densely distributed wires with diameters ranging from tens of nanometers to hundreds of nanometers, and their lengths are up to tens of microns on the substrate surface. In this report, the focus is on the lateral growth of germanium dioxide nanowires. Using semiconductor nanowires, researchers succeeded in demonstrating nanowire sensors for biological species [11]. In the current research, researchers used a fluid flow method to assembled nanowires into parallel arrays and clusters, and electrical contacts were defined by e-beam lithography. The approach of connecting electrodes and nanowires one at a time
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