Synthesis and microstructure of Cd4SiS6/Si composite nanowires.

Cd4SiS6/Si composite nanowires are produced through co-thermal evaporation of CdS and Si powders with a small amount of tin sulfide as an additive. A vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism is proposed for the anisotropic growth of the composite nanowires based on the presence of metallic tin particles at their tip-ends. Both side-by-side and core-shell composite nanowires are obtained. The product is characterized using X-ray powder diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Detailed structural and chemical analyses of individual composite nanowires are carried out using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), electron diffraction (ED) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Planar defects, including microtwins and stacking faults, are abundant in a Si core, as revealed by HRTEM and selected-area ED. The formation of composite nanowires is discussed in the light of thermodynamic and kinetic aspects.