Transmission electron microscopy analysis of freestanding copper nanowires grown by chemical vapor deposition with no template or seed

Abstract

Copper nanowires (CuNWs) were grown by chemical vapor deposition using Cu(etac)[P(OEt)3|2 as the precursor. The structure of the CuNWs was a five-fold twinned crystal with a pentagonal-pyramid edge tip. The length of the CuNWs was around 5-10 mum and the diameter was in the range of 100-200 nm depending on the growth conditions. The phosphite ligands passivated the (001) side faces of the CuNWs and only the (111) faces grew, resulting in 1-dimensional copper wires.