About cookies on this site Our websites require some cookies to function properly (required). In addition, other cookies may be used with your consent to analyze site usage, improve the user experience and for advertising. For more information, please review your options. By visiting our website, you agree to our processing of information as described in IBM’sprivacy statement. To provide a smooth navigation, your cookie preferences will be shared across the IBM web domains listed here.
Publication
Science
Paper
A liquid-solution-phase synthesis of crystalline silicon
Abstract
A liquid-solution-phase technique for preparing submicrometer-sized silicon single crystals is presented. The synthesis is based on the reduction of SiCl4 and RSiCl3 (R = H, octyl) by sodium metal in a nonpolar organic solvent at high temperatures (385°C) and high pressures (>100 atmospheres). For R = H, the synthesis produces hexagonal-shaped silicon single crystals ranging from 5 to 3000 nanometers in size. For R = octyl, the synthesis also produces hexagonal-shaped silicon single crystals; however, the size range is controlled to 5.5 ± 2.5 nanometers.