Growth of Tin Seeded Silicon Nanowires (SiNWs) Using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition*

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have attracted much attention among the photovoltaic community. With high surface to volume ratios, these nanowires are ideal candidates for nano-structured solar devices. Considerable effort has been put towards the growth and characterization of these nanowires. However, growing high quality SiNWs for PV applications is still considered to be a challenge. The role of different metal seeds during vapor-liquid-soild (VLS) growth and the electronic properties of these wires is also investigated. The present study extends the available literature on the use of Sn as a metal catalyst for VLS growth of SiNWs