Thermal expansion coefficients of rare earth metal disilicides and their influence on the growth of disilicide nanowires
Abstract
The lattice parameters of rare earth metal disilicides at high temperature play a crucial role in the growth of these disilicide nanowires, which takes place at about 873K. In the present study, the lattice parameters of Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Sc and ErxGd1-x disilicides with AlB 2 structure were measured from room temperature to about 873K by high temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD), from which the linear coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) along each crystallographic axis was determined. The influence of the CTEs on the growth of nanowires will be discussed in terms of anisotropic strain. With these CTEs, the composition of a ternary disilicide, (ErxGd1-x)Si1.67, for example, with optimal lattice parameters at nanowire growth temperature can be engineered to meet the requirement for the growth of high-quality nanowires.
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