Process for producing quantum fine wire

• US 5,858,862 A
• Filed: 03/24/1997
• Issued: 01/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Westwater, Jonathan, Gosain, Dharam Pal, Nakagoe, Miyako, Usui, Setsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowers, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHRISTIANSON, KEITH ALAN
• Application Number:
  US08/822,758
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 438/503, 117/12, 257/3
• US Class Current: 438/503
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 11/00 Single-crystal growth by normal freezing or freezing under temperature gradient, e.g. Bridgman-Stockbarger method C30B13/00, C30B15/00, C30B17/00, C30B19/00 take precedence; under a protective fluid C30B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 11/12 Vaporous components, e.g. vapour-liquid-solid-growth
• CPC Class Codes: C30B 29/605 Products containing multiple oriented crystallites, e.g. columnar crystallites

Abstract

A process of producing quantum fine wires, it is called silicon nanowires, too, which allows silicon quantum fine wires to grow into desirable shapes. In this process, gold is deposited on a silicon substrate to a thickness of 5 nm or less, and the silicon substrate is heated at a temperature of 450° C. to 650° C. in an atmosphere containing silane gas at a pressure less than 0.5 Torr, whereby drops of a molten alloy of silicon and gold are formed on the surface of the silicon substrate and the silane gas is decomposed by the action of the molten alloy drops as catalyst, to allow silicon quantum fine wires to grow into such desirable shapes as to be uniform in diameter without any bending.

Claims

1. A process of producing straight quantum fine wires, the process comprising:

a first step of vapor-depositing gold on a silicon substrate; and

a second step of heating said silicon substrate vapor-deposited with said gold in an atmosphere containing at least a gas selected from a group consisting of silane gas, disilane gas, trisilane gas, and mixtures thereof, the pressure of said gas is less than 0.5 Torr and said heating is performed at a temperature of 450°

C. or more.

2. A process of producing straight quantum fine wires according to claim 1, wherein said heating is performed at a temperature in a range of 450°

C. to 650°

C.

3. A process of producing straight quantum fine wires according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of a film of said gold vapor-deposited in said first step is 5 nm or less.

4. A process of producing straight quantum fine wires, comprising:

a first step of vapor-depositing gold on a silicon substrate to a thickness of 5 nm or less; and

a second step of heating said silicon substrate vapor-deposited with said gold at a temperature of 450°

C. to 650°

C. in an atmosphere containing silane gas at a pressure of less than 0.5 Torr.