Si nanowires grown from silicon oxide

Bulk-quantity Si nanowires have been synthesized by thermal evaporation of a powder mixture of silicon and SiO₂. Transmission electron microscopy showed that, at the initial nucleation stage, silicon monoxide vapor was generated from the powder mixture and condensed on the substrate. Si nanoparticles were precipitated and surrounded by shells of silicon oxide. The Si nanowire nucleus consisted of a polycrystalline Si core with a high density of defects and a silicon oxide shell. The growth mechanism was proposed to be closely related to the defect structure and silicon monoxide.