A simple route to synthesize scales of aligned single-crystalline SiC nanowires arrays with very small diameter and optical properties.

Scales of aligned single-crystalline SiC nanowires (SiCNWs) arrays with very small diameter were synthesized by a simple thermal evaporation of ZnS and carbon on silicon wafer. The as-received SiCNWs possess a uniform size distribution centered at approximately 8.0 nm, even with a minimum of approximately 3.0 nm. The highly oriented SiCNWs usually grew along [111] direction with a clean surface, very thin oxide shell, and small quantity of stacking faults. A crystalline tube-like SiC nanostructure is also obtained. The optical properties, including photoluminescence and Raman scattering spectra of the SiCNWs, were investigated, respectively. In the end, a growth model on basis of the experimental data is suggested.