Sains Malaysiana 41(9)(2012): 1133–1138

 

 

Initial Stages of GaAs/Au Eutectic Alloy Formation for the Growth of GaAs Nanowires

(Peringkat Awal Pembentukan Aloi Eutektik GaAs/Au bagi Pertumbuhan Nanowayar GaAs)

 

M. Rosnita*, W. Yussof, I. Zuhairi, O. Zulkafli & S. Samsudi

Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM,

Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

 

Received: 28 January 2011 / Accepted: 21 May 2012

 

ABSTRACT

Annealing temperature plays an important role in the formation of an Au-Ga eutectic alloy. The effects of the annealing temperature on gold nanoparticles colloid and substrate surface were studied using AFM, FE-SEM and TEM. At 600oC, the layer of gold colloids particle formed an island in the state of molten eutectic alloy and absorbed evaporated metal-organics to formed nanowire (NW) underneath the alloy. Pit formed on the substrate surface due to the chemical reactions during the annealing process have an impact on the direction of growth of the NW. Without annealing, the NW formed vertically on the GaAs (100) surface. The growth direction depends on the original nucleation facets and surface energy when annealed. When annealed, the wire base is large and curved due to the migration of Ga atoms on the substrate surface towards the tip of the wire and the line tension between the substrate surface and gold particle.

 

Keywords: Annealing process; GaAs nanowires; gold colloids

 

 

ABSTRAK

Suhu sepuhlindap memainkan peranan penting dalam pembentukan aloi eutektik Au-Ga. Kesan suhu sepuhlindap terhadap koloid nanozarah emas dan permukaan substrat dikaji menggunakan AFM, FE-SEM dan TEM. Dengan suhu 600oC, lapisan zarah koloid emas membentuk pulau-pulau yang berkeadaan aloi eutektik leburan dan boleh menyerap logam-logam organik terpeluap lalu membentuk nanowayar di bawah leburan tersebut. Liang yang terbentuk pada permukaan substrat akibat tindak balas kimia semasa proses sepuhlindap memberi impak pada arah pembentukan nanowayar. Tanpa di sepuhlindap, nanowayar yang terbentuk pada permukaan GaAs (100) adalah tegak lurus manakala arah pertumbuhan bergantung pada faset pernukleusan asal dan tenaga permukaan apabila disepuhlindap. Dengan sepuhlindapan, tapak wayar lebih lebar dan melengkung disebabkan penghijrahan atom Ga pada permukaan substrat menuju ke hujung dawai dan tegangan antara permukaan substrat dan zarah emas.

 

Kata kunci: Koloid emas; nanowayar GaAs; proses sepuh lindap

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*Corresponding author; email: atinsor@gmail.com