Electrical characterization and examination of temperature-induced degradation of metastable Ge(0.81)Sn(0.19) nanowires

Metastable germanium–tin alloys are promising materials for optoelectronics and optics. Here we present the first electrical characterization of highly crystalline Ge(0.81)Sn(0.19) nanowires grown in a solution-based process. The investigated Ge(0.81)Sn(0.19) nanowires reveal ohmic behavior with resistivity of the nanowire material in the range of ∼1 × 10(–4) Ω m. The temperature-dependent resistivity measurements demonstrate the semiconducting behavior. Moreover, failure of devices upon heating to moderate temperatures initiating material degradation has been investigated to illustrate that characterization and device operation of these highly metastable materials have to be carefully conducted.