Commentary

Semiconductor Nanowires for Physics, Electronics and for Renewable Energy Challenges   Lars Samuelson   Lund University   Email: lars.samuelson@ftf.lth.se

One of the big challenges today is the heterogeneous integration of different semiconductor materials, for instance for merging of high-performance III-V semiconductors with silicon wafer technology. One of the approaches that could allow this development to happen is the growth of self-assembling nanowires, in which either a catalytic nanoparticle is used to locally induce the nanowire growth or this may be controlled by selective area growth. I will give a general introduction to these methods and will spend some time on recent progress in the way we can control the structural perfection of such nanowires.

Based on this generic nanotechnology, where top-down patterning is combined with bottom-up growth, I will give a few examples of progress in the formation of ideal one-dimensional structures for basic physics studies. I will then present the state-of-the-art in realizing co-axial wrap-gate transistors, which is also in the focus of a major European Integrated Project, called NODE ("Nanowire-based One-Dimensional Electronics") where leading European industrial, academic and institute partners collaborate. Finally, I will describe some efforts in the direction of renewable energy aspects of the technology, including the realization of nanowire-based light-emitting diodes as well as photovoltaic solar cell development, in both cases with heterostructure-based III-V devices formed on silicon substrates.

I hope that these contributions will be well received and I very much look forward to interactions and discussions with the exciting NGC/CSTC-2009 communities forming and participating in the event in Hamilton.