Defect-Free <110> zinc-blende structured InAs nanowires catalyzed by palladium

Abstract

We report the epitaxial growth of defect-free zinc-blende structured InAs nanowires on GaAs{111}B substrates using palladium catalysts in a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition reactor. Through detailed morphological, structural, and chemical characterizations using electron microscopy, it is found that these defect-free InAs nanowires grew along the 〈1̄1̄ 0〉 directions with four low-energy {111} faceted side walls and {1̄1̄3̄} nanowire/catalyst interfaces. It is anticipated that these defect-free 〈1̄1̄0〉 nanowires benefit from the fact that the nanowire/catalyst interfaces does not contain the {111} planes, and the nanowire growth direction is not along the 〈111〉 directions. This study provides an effective approach to control the crystal structure and quality of epitaxial III-V nanowires.