Low Cost Fabrication of Si NWs/CuI Heterostructures

• Main Authors: Maria José Lo Faro, Antonio Alessio Leonardi, Dario Morganti, Barbara Fazio, Ciro Vasi, Paolo Musumeci, Francesco Priolo, Alessia Irrera
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-07-01
• Series: Nanomaterials
• Subjects: silicon nanowires; heterostructures; CuI; silicon
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/8/8/569

In this paper, we present the realization by a low cost approach compatible with silicon technology of new nanostructures, characterized by the presence of different materials, such as copper iodide (CuI) and silicon nanowires (Si NWs). Silicon is the principal material of the microelectronics field for its low cost, easy manufacturing and market stability. In particular, Si NWs emerged in the literature as the key materials for modern nanodevices. Copper iodide is a direct wide bandgap p-type semiconductor used for several applications as a transparent hole conducting layers for dye-sensitized solar cells, light emitting diodes and for environmental purification. We demonstrated the preparation of a solid system in which Si NWs are embedded in CuI material and the structural, electrical and optical characterization is presented. These new combined Si NWs/CuI systems have strong potentiality to obtain new nanostructures characterized by different doping, that is strategic for the possibility to realize p-n junction device. Moreover, the combination of these different materials opens the route to obtain multifunction devices characterized by promising absorption, light emission, and electrical conduction.