Single-crystalline chromium silicide nanowires and their physical properties

In this work, chromium disilicide nanowires were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processes on Si (100) substrates with hydrous chromium chloride (CrCl(3) · 6H(2)O) as precursors. Processing parameters, including the temperature of Si (100) substrates and precursors, the gas flow rate, the heating time, and the different flow gas of reactions were varied and studied; additionally, the physical properties of the chromium disilicide nanowires were measured. It was found that single-crystal CrSi(2) nanowires with a unique morphology were grown at 700°C, while single-crystal Cr(5)Si(3) nanowires were grown at 750°C in reducing gas atmosphere. The crystal structure and growth direction were identified, and the growth mechanism was proposed as well. This study with magnetism, photoluminescence, and field emission measurements demonstrates that CrSi(2) nanowires are attractive choices for future applications in magnetic storage, photovoltaic, and field emitters. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s11671-015-0776-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.