Catalytic synthesis of crystalline SiC nanowires from a Ni/a-C/Si sandwich configuration

High quality 3C-SiC nanowires are synthesized via thermal treatment of Ni/a-C/Si sandwich films. The nanowires obtained at 900 °C, under a low partial pressure of oxygen, consist of 20-50 mm diameter cores coated by an amorphous phase. The formation of 3C-SiC involves solid-liquid-solid mode and vapor-liquid-solid processes. The ability to synthesize SiC nanowires under the fabrication conditions, both relatively low temperature and a small amount of oxygen, represents an important advance towards their eventual integration for various technological applications.