SYNTHESIS OF INDIUM PHOSPHIDE / ZINC PHOSPHATE CORE-SHELL NANOWIRES

Zn-3(PO4)(2)/InP core-shell nanowires were grown by a one-step pyrolytic synthesis in a vapor of hydrazine containing 3mol.% H2O. InP+Zn and InP+ZnO were used as sources for producing volatile species that were forming nanowires in the cold zone of a reactor. The cores were crystalline InP, while the zinc phosphate shells had amorphous structure because the growth temperature (500 degrees C) was insufficient for their crystallization. The most favorable thermochemical reactions that may produce core and shell materials were evaluated. It was established that the amorphous Zn-3(PO4)(2) shell was growing by a template based Vapor-Solid method. InP core and ring-shaped Zn-3(PO4)(2) shell, formed at the initial stage of synthesis, served as templates for the growth of shell. The nanotubes of zinc phosphate were produced at 540 degrees C, when the source contained a low amount of InP. This happened because the template-based growth of a shell proceeded even after the growth of InP core was stopped.