Precision-Cut Crystalline Silicon Nanodots and Nanorods from Nanowires and Direct Visualization of Cross Sections and Growth Orientations of Silicon Nanowires

An easy and convenient method, using the well-established microtome technique, has been developed to precision cut nanowires into nanodots of well-defined sizes and shapes. The technique allows the determination of the growth direction, the shape of the cross section, the internal atomic structure (including twinning or other stacking faults, if any) of single nanowires. In our experiments, both the coaxial structure of vertical cross section of normal silicon nanowires (SiNWs) and horizontal cross section of necklace-like SiNWs were obtained and examined under TEM.