Behavior of Au-Si droplets in Si(001) at high temperatures

The transport behavior of Au-Si droplets near the Si(001) surface at elevated temperatures is investigated using transmission electron microscopy. It has been found that Au-Si droplets move differently under different temperatures, which lead to the formation of SiOx surface islands on top of droplets, and result in the lateral movements of smaller droplets away from their corresponding surface islands. Since Au droplets have been widely used as catalysts to induce semiconductor nanowires, this study provides insight behavior of Au containing droplets on semiconductor surfaces, which is critical for understanding the formation mechanisms of semiconductor nanowires. 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4739413]