Synthesis and Characterization of Silicon Oxide Nanoflowers

Flower-like amorphous silicon oxide nanostructures were synthesized by a metal-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition method on Si (111) wafers, using SiCl4 as the source of Si and Au as catalyst in a flowing H2-5% Ar atmosphere. The nanostructures were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy equipped with electron energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Each flower-like nanostructure consists of many silicon oxide nanorods with smooth surface and uniform diameter. At early stage, the growth of the flower-like silicon oxide nanostructures was controlled by solid-liquid-solid and solid-vapor-liquid-solid mechanisms, and solid-vapor-liquid-solid and vapor-liquid-solid mechanisms at later stage. The silicon oxide nanoflowers show a photoluminescence emission band at 339 nm, revealing that the nanoflowers might have potential applications in the future optoelectronic device.