A model of axial heterostructure formation in III–V semiconductor nanowires

A kinetic model of the formation of axial heterostructures in nanocrystalline wires (nanowires, NWs) of III–V semiconductor compounds growing according to the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism is proposed. A general system of nonstationary equations for effective fluxes of two elements of the same group (e.g., group III) is formulated that allows the composition profile of a heterostructure to be calculated as a function of the coordinate and epitaxial growth conditions, including the flux of a group V element. Characteristic times of the composition relaxation, which determine the sharpness of the heteroboundary (heterointerface), are determined in the linear approximation. A temporal interruption (arrest) of fluxes during the switching of elements for a period exceeding these relaxation times must increase sharpness of the heteroboundary. Model calculations of the composition profile in a double GaAs/InAs/GaAs axial heterostructure have been performed for various NW radii.