Structure of Bismuth Telluride Nanowire Arrays Fabricated by Electrodeposition into Porous Anodic Alumina Templates

Abstract

Arrays of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) nanowires with diameters of ∼25, ∼50, and ∼75 nm have been produced by electrochemical deposition into porous anodic alumina templates. Scanning electron microscopy confirms that the nanowire arrays are dense with a narrow distribution of nanowire diameters. The structure of the nanowires was assessed immediately after deposition, after annealing to ∼80% of the melting point, and after melting/recrystallization. As determined by XRD analysis, there is strong fiber texture in the arrays that depends on both the nanowire diameter and the postdeposition processing conditions. Bright-field/dark-field imaging and diffraction in the transmission electron microscope reveal that the as-deposited nanowires are polycrystalline with a bamboo-type grain structure that does not change significantly upon annealing, and a similar grain structure is obtained after melting and resolidification.