Growth Mechanism of SmB<sub>6</sub> Nanowires Synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Catalyst-Assisted and Catalyst-Free

SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires, as a prototype of nanostructured topological Kondo insulator, have shown rich novel physical phenomena relating to their surface. Catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a common approach to prepare SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires and Ni is t...

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Main Authors: Yi Chu, Yugui Cui, Shaoyun Huang, Yingjie Xing, Hongqi Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-07-01
Series:Nanomaterials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/8/1062
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author Yi Chu
Yugui Cui
Shaoyun Huang
Yingjie Xing
Hongqi Xu
author_facet Yi Chu
Yugui Cui
Shaoyun Huang
Yingjie Xing
Hongqi Xu
author_sort Yi Chu
collection DOAJ
description SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires, as a prototype of nanostructured topological Kondo insulator, have shown rich novel physical phenomena relating to their surface. Catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a common approach to prepare SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires and Ni is the most popular catalyst used to initiate the growth of SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires. Here, we study the effect of growth mechanism on the surface of SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires synthesized by CVD. Two types of SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires are obtained when using Ni as the catalyst. In addition to pure SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires without Ni impurity, a small amount of Ni is detected on the surface of some SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires by element analysis with transmission electron microscopy. In order to eliminate the possible distribution of Ni on nanowire surface, we synthesize single crystalline SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires by CVD without using catalyst. The difference between catalyst-assisted and catalyst-free growth mechanism is discussed.
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spelling doaj.art-d316620c938346dbb79d49d744e9225a2022-12-22T01:59:10ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912019-07-0198106210.3390/nano9081062nano9081062Growth Mechanism of SmB<sub>6</sub> Nanowires Synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Catalyst-Assisted and Catalyst-FreeYi Chu0Yugui Cui1Shaoyun Huang2Yingjie Xing3Hongqi Xu4Beijing Key Laboratory of Quantum Devices, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, and Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Quantum Devices, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, and Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Quantum Devices, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, and Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Quantum Devices, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, and Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaBeijing Key Laboratory of Quantum Devices, Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices, and Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing 100871, ChinaSmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires, as a prototype of nanostructured topological Kondo insulator, have shown rich novel physical phenomena relating to their surface. Catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a common approach to prepare SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires and Ni is the most popular catalyst used to initiate the growth of SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires. Here, we study the effect of growth mechanism on the surface of SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires synthesized by CVD. Two types of SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires are obtained when using Ni as the catalyst. In addition to pure SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires without Ni impurity, a small amount of Ni is detected on the surface of some SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires by element analysis with transmission electron microscopy. In order to eliminate the possible distribution of Ni on nanowire surface, we synthesize single crystalline SmB<sub>6</sub> nanowires by CVD without using catalyst. The difference between catalyst-assisted and catalyst-free growth mechanism is discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/8/1062nanowiressynthesisCVDtopological insulatorsgrowth mechanism
spellingShingle Yi Chu
Yugui Cui
Shaoyun Huang
Yingjie Xing
Hongqi Xu
Growth Mechanism of SmB<sub>6</sub> Nanowires Synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Catalyst-Assisted and Catalyst-Free
Nanomaterials
nanowires
synthesis
CVD
topological insulators
growth mechanism
title Growth Mechanism of SmB<sub>6</sub> Nanowires Synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Catalyst-Assisted and Catalyst-Free
title_full Growth Mechanism of SmB<sub>6</sub> Nanowires Synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Catalyst-Assisted and Catalyst-Free
title_fullStr Growth Mechanism of SmB<sub>6</sub> Nanowires Synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Catalyst-Assisted and Catalyst-Free
title_full_unstemmed Growth Mechanism of SmB<sub>6</sub> Nanowires Synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Catalyst-Assisted and Catalyst-Free
title_short Growth Mechanism of SmB<sub>6</sub> Nanowires Synthesized by Chemical Vapor Deposition: Catalyst-Assisted and Catalyst-Free
title_sort growth mechanism of smb sub 6 sub nanowires synthesized by chemical vapor deposition catalyst assisted and catalyst free
topic nanowires
synthesis
CVD
topological insulators
growth mechanism
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/9/8/1062
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AT yuguicui growthmechanismofsmbsub6subnanowiressynthesizedbychemicalvapordepositioncatalystassistedandcatalystfree
AT shaoyunhuang growthmechanismofsmbsub6subnanowiressynthesizedbychemicalvapordepositioncatalystassistedandcatalystfree
AT yingjiexing growthmechanismofsmbsub6subnanowiressynthesizedbychemicalvapordepositioncatalystassistedandcatalystfree
AT hongqixu growthmechanismofsmbsub6subnanowiressynthesizedbychemicalvapordepositioncatalystassistedandcatalystfree