Free-standing conductive GeSi/Si helical microcoils, micro- and nanotubes

摘要

For the first time micro- and nanotubes, as well as free-standing flexible helical microcoils have been fabricated from strained Ge_xSi_(1-x)/Si heterolayers. The scrolling process used for the formation of the nanoobjects proceed in a self-forming manner due to the action of interatomic forces inside the highly strained layers. The obtained tube diameter varied from 1.5 mum to 10 nm depending on the value of lattice mismatch and on the thickness of GeSi/Si bilayer. It is shown that tubes with the diameter from 1.5 mum to 70 nm exhibit excellent conductive properties and have a high mecanical strength.