Functional semiconductor nanowires via vapor deposition

More than a decade's worth of research has led to significant progress toward an understanding of the growth behavior of nanowires (NWs). Among all of the different bottom-up and top-down strategies, vapor deposition has unique advantages in producing high quality NW structures. This paper reviews the current understandings of the thermodynamics and kinetics of NW nucleation and growth behaviors using a vapor deposition approach. NW deposition from the vapor phase is divided into two general categories: that with and that without foreign metal catalysts. The distinct crystal nucleation and growth mechanisms, NW morphologies, and controlling parameters of these two categories are presented in detail and compared. In addition, ways to apply these strategies in order to realize complex NW structures such as NW heterojunctions and 3D NW networks are also discussed. The information about NW vapor deposition reviewed in this paper provides a comprehensive background for understanding NW growth phenomena, ways of achieving morphology and property control, and how to eventually pave the road toward industrial-level NW manufacturing.