This research focuses on the characterization of the structure and mechanical behavior of metal nanowires. Molecular dynamics simulations with embedded-atom method (EAM) potentials are used. A novel shape memory effect and pseudoelastic behavior of single-crystalline FCC metal (Cu, Ni, and Au) nanowires are discovered. Specifically, upon tensile loading and unloading, these wires can recover elongations of up to 50%, well beyond the recoverable strains of 5-8% typical for most bulk shape memory alloys. This novel behavior arises from a reversible lattice reorientation driven by the high surface-stress-induced internal stresses at the nanoscale. It exists over a wide range of temperature and is associated with response times on the order of nanoseconds, making the nanowires attractive functional components for a new generation of biosensors, transducers, and interconnects in nano-electromechanical systems. It is found that this novel shape memory behavior only exists at the nanometer scale but not in bulk metals. The reason is that only at the nanoscale is the surface-stress-induced driving force large enough to initiate the transformation. The lattice reorientation process is also temperature-dependent because thermal energy facilitates the overcoming of the energy barrier for the transformation. Therefore, nanowires show either pseudoelasticity or shape memory effect depending on whether the transformation is induced by unloading or heating. It is also found that not all FCC nanowires show shape memory behavior. Only FCC metals with higher tendency for twinning (such as Cu, Au, Ni) show the shape memory because twinning leads to the reversible lattice reorientation. On the other hand, FCC metals with low likelihood of twinning (such as Al) do not show shape memory because these wires deforms via crystal slip, which leads to irreversible deformation. A micromechanical continuum model is developed to characterize the shape memory behavior observed. This model treats the lattice reorientation process as a smooth transition between a series of phase-equilibrium states superimposed with a dissipative twin boundary propagation process. This model captures the major characteristics of the unique behavior due to lattice reorientation and accounts for the size and temperature effects, yielding results in excellent agreement with the results of molecular dynamics simulations.

The digital information processing system has benefited tremendously from the invention and development of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits. The relentless scaling of the physical dimensions of transistors has been consistently delivering improved overall circuit density and performance every technology generation. However, the continuation of this trend is in question for silicon-based transistors when quantum mechanical tunneling becomes more relevant; further scaling in feature sizes can lead to increased leakage current and power dissipation. Numerous research efforts have been implemented to address these scaling challenges, either by aiming to increase the performance at the transistor level or to introduce new functionalities at the circuit level. In the first approach, novel materials and device structures are explored to improve the performance of CMOS transistors, including the use of high-mobility materials (e.g. III-V compounds and germanium) as the channel, and multi-gate structures. On the other hand, the overall circuit capability could be increased if other state variables are exploited in the electronic devices, such as the electron spin degree of freedom (e.g. spintronics). Here we explore the potential of germanium nanowires in both CMOS and beyond-CMOS applications, studying the electronic and spintronic transport in this material system. Germanium is an attractive replacement to silicon as the channel material in CMOS technology, thanks to its lighter effective electron and hole mass. The nanowire structures, directly synthesized using chemical vapor deposition, provide a natural platform for multi-gate structures in which the electrostatic control of the gate is enhanced. We present the realization and scaling properties of germanium-silicon-germanium core-shell nanowire n-type, [omega]-gate field-effect transistors (FETs). By studying the channel length dependence of NW FET characteristics, we conclude that the intrinsic channel resistance is the main limiting factor of the drive current of Ge NW n-FETs. Utilizing the electron spins in semiconductor devices can in principle enhance overall circuit performance and functionalities. Electrical injection of spin-polarized electrons into a semiconductor, large spin diffusion length, and an integration friendly platform are desirable ingredients for spin based-devices. Here we demonstrate lateral spin injection and detection in Ge NWs, by using ferromagnetic metal contacts and tunnel barriers for contact resistance engineering. We map out the contact resistance window for which spin transport is observed, manifestly showing the conductivity matching required for spin injection. / text

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First discovered by Holm and Meissner in 1932, the superconducting proximity effect has remained a subject of experimental and theoretical interest. In recent years, it has been proposed that proximity effect in a semiconductor with large g-factor and spin-orbit coupling could lead to exotic phases of superconductivity. This thesis focuses on proximity effect in one of the prime semiconductor candidates -- InAs nanowires. The first set of experiments investigates the superconducting phase-dependent tunneling spectrum of a proximitized InAs quantum dot. We observe tunneling resonances of Andreev bound states in the Kondo regime, and induce quantum phase transitions of the quantum dot ground state with gate voltage and phase bias -- the latter being the first experimental observation of its kind. An additional zero-bias peak of unknown origin is observed to coexist with the Andreev bounds states. The second set of experiments extends upon the first with sharper tunneling resonances and an increase in the device critical field. By applying an external magnetic field, we observe spin-resolved Andreev bound states in proximitized InAs quantum dots. From the linear splitting of the tunneling resonances, we extract g-factors of 5 and 10 in two different devices. The third set of experiments utilizes a novel type of epitaxial core-shell InAs-Al nanowire. We compare the induced gaps of these nanowires with control devices proximitized with evaporated Al films. Our results show that the epitaxial core-shell nanowires possess a much harder induced gap -- up to two orders of magnitude in sub-gap conductance suppression as compared to a factor of five in evaporated control devices. This observation suggests that roughness in S-N interfaces plays a crucial role in the quality of the proximity effect. The fourth set of experiments investigates the gate-tunability of epitaxial half-shell nanowires. In a half-shell nanowire Josephson junction, we measure the normal state resistance, maximum supercurrent, and magnetic field-dependent supercurrent interference patterns. The gate dependences of these independent experimental parameters are consistent with one another and indicate that an InAs nanowire in good ohmic contact to a thin sliver of Al retains its proximity effect and is gate-tunable. / Physics

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The objective of this thesis is to explore the synthesis and characterization of high quality binary ZnTe nanowires with great potential for development of optoelectronic devices including high efficiency photovoltaic cells for energy conversion and high sensitivity photodetectors for green fluorescent protein bioimaging at single molecule level. To systematically explore the fabrication process for high quality nanowires, a chemical vapour deposition system was built for nanowire growth. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were used to optimize the reactor and growth parameters. The simulations were validated by experimental measurements. Room temperature photoluminescence measurements showed that high crystal quality with very low defects by single step growth was achieved. This single step growth technique makes a great improvement compared to the reported growth followed by annealing, which achieved equivalent crystal quality. This simplification could be of use in large scale synthesis of nanowires. The simulation results also showed that reactant species concentration is a key factor influencing the growth. A metal-organic chemical vapour deposition system was thus built to independently control reactant concentrations for ZnTe nanowire growth. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements of as-grown ZnTe nanowires showed a strong near band-edge emission. In addition, a deep level oxygen-related band was observed for the first time. From the detailed analysis of thermal quenching of the photoluminescence, it was shown that the deep level emission was partially from the intermediate band of the material. This is of great importance due to the theoretical absorption efficiency that is as high as 63% for intermediate band materials, which is more than two times of that of current single junction concentrators, and few materials possessing this property. Individual ZnTe nanowires, grown after optimization, were patterned and contacted, and their conductivity and photoconductivity were measured at room temperature. A single ZnTe nanowire serving as a photodetector was shown to have the highest reported visible responsivity of 360 A/W (at 530 nm), and a gain of 8,640 (at 3 V bias). The responsivity is roughly 18 times higher than that of silicon avalanche photodiodes. This demonstrates that ZnTe nanowires are strong candidates for single photon detection.

A novel antenna effect is demonstrated in arrays of 500, 200 and 100 silicon nanowires embedded in silicon dioxide. The gratings are analyzed using spectral and polarisation resolved photocurrent microscopy. Resonant enhancements in the electric field and photocurrent response are observed at multiple wavelengths corresponding to coupling of incident radiation into the grating's multiple-scattering electromagnetic modes. The photoresponse retains the sinusoidal polarisation anisotropy expected in single nanowires. The resonances are modeled using electromagnetic scattering theory and show excellent agreement with measurement. An experimental quality factor of Q=10 was measured for the gratings, exceeding that of a single wire, but lower than expected from theory. The difference is ascribed to the finite length of the wires and their termination at ohmic contacts. Strategies to improve Q are discussed, and a grating is presented to resonantly enhance light detection at red, green and blue wavelengths for application as a colour imaging sensor.

A novel antenna effect is demonstrated in arrays of 500, 200 and 100 silicon nanowires embedded in silicon dioxide. The gratings are analyzed using spectral and polarisation resolved photocurrent microscopy. Resonant enhancements in the electric field and photocurrent response are observed at multiple wavelengths corresponding to coupling of incident radiation into the grating's multiple-scattering electromagnetic modes. The photoresponse retains the sinusoidal polarisation anisotropy expected in single nanowires. The resonances are modeled using electromagnetic scattering theory and show excellent agreement with measurement. An experimental quality factor of Q=10 was measured for the gratings, exceeding that of a single wire, but lower than expected from theory. The difference is ascribed to the finite length of the wires and their termination at ohmic contacts. Strategies to improve Q are discussed, and a grating is presented to resonantly enhance light detection at red, green and blue wavelengths for application as a colour imaging sensor.