Titanium catalyzed silicon nanowires and nanoplatelets

Silicon nanowires, nanoplatelets, and other morphologies resulted from silicon growth catalyzed by thin titanium layers. The nanowires have diameters down to 5 nm and lengths to tens of micrometers. The two-dimensional platelets, in some instances with filigreed, snow flake-like shapes, had thicknesses down to the 10 nm scale and spans to several micrometers. These platelets grew in a narrow temperature range around 900 celsius, apparently representing a new silicon crystallite morphology at this length scale. We surmise that the platelets grow with a faceted dendritic mechanism known for larger crystals nucleated by titanium silicide catalyst islands.