On the general regularities of the growth of micro-and nanoscale si whiskers

On the basis of the investigations of the processes of synthesis nano-and microscale silicon whiskers, general regularities of their quasi-one-dimensional growth are established: the presence of the catalyst drop liquid at the top, the same preferred orientation <111> of the growth axis, presence of pedestal in the whisker base, decrease in radius over the crystal length (conicity), branching and formation of bends, flat crystallization front under the drop, two-stage character of the process (axial and radial growth), etc. Some individual features, inherent in the nanocrystal growth, are also established. © Allerton Press, Inc. 2008.