Single-crystalline LaxNd1−xB6 nanowires: synthesis, characterization and field emission performance

Abstract

We report the catalyst-free synthesis of uniform distributed single-crystalline La_xNd_1−xB₆ nanowires by simply heating mixed La and Nd powders to the required temperature in an inlet flux of mixed gases (H₂, Ar and BCl₃). FE-SEM, HRTEM, SAED, EDS, element mapping, XRD and Raman scattering results show that the La_xNd_1−xB₆ nanowires are structurally uniform and well-doped single crystals. Based on our experimental results, a dominant VLS-like mechanism with a self-catalytic growth mechanism was proposed and depicted conceptually. The nanowires display an excellent field emission performance with a low turn-on field value of ∼4.12 V μm⁻¹ when evaluated as an electron emitter. Attempts were also made to understand the morphological influence of reaction time, reaction temperature and the proportion of the La and Nd powders.