Defect induced nanowire growth by FIB implantation

In this work a defect induced formation of CoSi2 nanoparticles and nanowires is investigated and discussed. The results show that the defects created in silicon by FIB irradiation can getter Co atoms, solved in the sample before the ion beam treatment. Nanowires and nanoparticles are formed in the defect regions and are stabilized by following Ostwald ripening and can grow due to diffusion of the Co atoms during annealing. The nanowires are oriented in the <110> crystalline directions energetically favored for CoSi2 growth. Presumably this process is initiated by the formation of the well known {311}-extended rod-like defects elongated in those <110> directions.