Growth and Characterization of Carbon Nanofibers Grown on Vertically Aligned InAs Nanowires via Chemical Vapour Deposition

The integration of carbon nanostructures with semiconductor nanowires holds significant potential for energy-efficient integrated circuits. However, achieving precise control over the positioning and stability of these interconnections poses a major challenge. This study presents a method for the controlled growth of carbon nanofibers (CNFs) on vertically aligned indium arsenide (InAs) nanowires. The CNF/InAs hybrid structures, synthesized using chemical vapor deposition (CVD), were successfully produced without compromising the morphology of the pristine nanowires. Under optimized conditions, preferential growth of the carbon nanofibers in the direction perpendicular to the InAs nanowires was observed. Moreover, when the CVD process employed iron as a catalyst, an increased growth rate was achieved. With and without the presence of iron, carbon nanofibers nucleate preferentially on the top of the InAs nanowires, indicating a tip growth mechanism presumably catalysed by a gold-indium alloy that selectively forms in that region. These results represent a compelling example of controlled interconnections between adjacent InAs nanowires formed by carbon fibers.