Template assisted electrodeposition of germanium and silicon nanowires in an ionic liquid

Abstract

In this paper we report for the first time on the room temperature template synthesis of germanium and silicon nanowires by potentiostatic electrochemical deposition from the air- and water stable ionic liquid 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([Py_1,4]Tf₂N) containing GeCl₄ and SiCl₄ as a Ge and Si source, respectively. Commercially-available track-etched polycarbonate membranes (PC) with an average nominal pore diameter of 90–400 nm were used as templates. Ge and Si nanowires with an average diameter corresponding to the nanopores’ diameter and lengths of a few micrometres were reproducibly obtained. Structural characterization of the nanowires was performed by EDX, TEM, HR-SEM and Raman spectroscopy. Despite the rough surface of the nanowires, governed mostly by the original shape of the nanopore’s wall of the commercially-available PC membrane, preliminary structural characterizations demonstrate the promising prospective of this innovative elaboration process compared to constraining high vacuum and high temperature methods.