PNNL

Abstract

Chalcogenide (arsenic trisulfide, As2S3) nanowires have been successfully synthesized under near-equilibrium conditions via a sublimation-condensation process in an evacuated glass ampoule. The as-synthesized nanowires are pure, stoichiometric, amorphous, and free from defects. The nanowires have diameters ranging from 40 to 140 nm and lengths of up to a few millimeters. Distinct joints of the crisscrossing nanowires indicate potential for forming structural network using these nanowires. The nanowires have been characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy, (TEM) energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine their structure and morphology. Selected area diffraction (SAD) confirms the amorphous nature of the nanowires. Stoichiometry of the nanowires suggests a nondissociative sublimation process. The As2S3 nanowires could make an ideal system for understanding the carrier transport and photonic properties in nanoscale for this family of materials (IV-V compounds). Chalcogenide nanowires show promise for integrated nanoelectronics and biophotonics.