Catalyst: Platinum replaces Gold

Prof. Bruno GRANDIDIER, Eng. Basma EL  ZEIN

Institute of Electronics, Microelectronics and nanotechnology (IEMN)

Lille, France

Abstract

Silicon nanowires are promising of becoming the key building blocks in the construction of the electronics and optoelectronic devices like solar cells.

Many techniques were used for the growth of the Si nanowires where the favored ones with the vertical growth that can be produced using the Vapor , liquid solid (VLS) mechanism in the presence of metallic nanoparticles (Gold (Au) ) to behave as catalyst .

Recent researches showed that the nanowires grow with sidewalls covered by one monolayer of gold, and using the VLS mechanism at certain temperature and pressure, gold can diffuse over the wire surface and inside the nanowires. These defects can change the physical and electrical properties of the nanowires. To overcome these defects, studies nowadays are moving toward replacing gold (Au) with Platinum (Pt).

This paper presents the preparation of the sample of silicon Si(110) evaporated with Platinum and viewing the Si(110) surface reconstruction using the scanning tunneling microscope(STM ). The experiments were applied in the lab of the IEMN- Lille France.

Keywords: Platinum, catalyst, Si (110), STM.