Catalytic growth of group III-nitride nanowires and nanostructures by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Abstract

We report flexible synthesis of group III–nitride nanowires and nanostructures by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) via a catalytic vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism. Supersaturation and surface stoichiometry strongly influence the stability of liquid droplets and growth selectivity. To facilitate and sustain the VLS growth, indium catalyst is introduced based on thermodynamic consideration. The employment of mesoporous molecular sieves (MCM-41) helps to prevent the coalescence of catalyst droplets and to promote nucleation statistics. Both GaN and AlN nanowires have been synthesized using MOCVD. Three-dimensional AlN∕GaN trunk-branch nanostructures are reported to illustrate the versatility of incorporating the VLS mechanism into MOCVD process.