Collaborative Research: Engineering the Morphology and Microstructure of Group III-V Compound Semiconducting Nanowires

加州大学洛杉矶分校和布朗大学之间的跨学科合作研究工作的目标是定量地了解III-V族化合物半导体纳米线异质结构生长的机制，从而制定策略来定制它们的形态，结晶度和化学。半导体纳米线由于其在光电子学、纳米电子学、传感器、能量收集和能量存储方面的潜在应用，最近获得了相当大的关注。然而，由于在生长期间发生的动力学不稳定性，期望的多组分纳米线异质结构的生长是困难的。为了解决这个问题，拟议中的研究将结合联合收割机在原位（以及非原位）的纳米线生长的温度，时间，流量和催化剂组合物的函数的研究与理论/计算建模。模拟的形貌和结构将与实验观察结果进行比较，以定量描述纳米线生长过程中的形貌、结构和成分演变，如果成功的话，这项研究的结果将提供对纳米线异质结构形成的全面理解，并有助于开发具有所需性能的先进功能材料的制造技术。所提出的实验和计算方法是通用的，并且适用于研究（和预测）其他材料系统中的纳米结构生长以及其他合成（例如，溶液相）方法。研究结果将被传播，以提高对纳米线生长机制的理解。现场观测和生长模拟的录像将在网上公布，以提高公众对纳米科学和纳米技术的兴趣。研究生和工程本科生将受益于课堂教学和参与研究。高中生将参与为他们提供第一手的研究经验，这将鼓励他们追求工程高等教育

The goal of this interdisciplinary collaborative research effort between UCLA and Brown University is to quantitatively understand the mechanisms governing the growth of group III-V compound semiconducting nanowire heterostructures and hence develop strategies to tailor their morphology, crystallinity, and chemistry. Semiconducting nanowires have recently gained considerable attention owing to their potential for applications in optoelectronics, nanoelectronics, sensors, energy harvesting, and energy storage. However, growth of desired multi-component nanowire heterostructures is difficult due to kinetic instabilities occurring during growth. To address this issue, the proposed research will combine in situ (as well as ex situ) studies of nanowire growth as a function of temperature, time, flux, and catalyst composition with theoretical/computational modeling. Simulated morphologies and structures will then be compared with experimental observations to quantitatively describe the morphological, structural, and compositional evolution during the growth of nanowires.If successful, the results of this research will provide a holistic understanding of the nanowire heterostructure formation and help develop technologies for the fabrication of advanced functional materials with desired properties. The proposed experimental and computational methods are general and applicable to investigate (and predict) nanostructure growth in other material systems as well as other synthesis (eg., solution phase) methods. The results will be disseminated to enhance the understanding of the nanowire growth mechanisms. Videos of in situ observations and growth simulations will be posted on the Web to promote interest in nanoscience and nanotechnology among the public. Graduate and engineering undergraduate students will benefit through classroom instruction and involvement in the research. High-school students will be engaged to provide them firsthand research experience that will encourage them to pursue higher education in engineering