Indium Antimonide (InSb) nanowires is a promising III-V direct narrow band gap and very high-electron mobility semiconductor that is widely demonstrated for various electronic and optoelectronic device applications. These devices demand nanowires with good morphology and high quality crystal structure. This can be realized by exploring the synthesis parameters. Many studies have been focused on how to control the InSb nanowire morphology and structure through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). InSb nanowires growth using CVD and MBE requires high vacuum, high temperature, and toxic metal organic precursors. Among other, template assisted electrodeposition has been considered for potentially cost-effective and can be conducted at room temperatures. However, there are several limitations reported asuch as does not able to reach a right stoichiometric In to Sb ratio and structural defects. Previous studies showed that the use of tartaric acid as the complexing agent may improve the quality of the morphology of the deposited material.

Therefore the goal of this thesis, is to synthesis InSb nanowires by template assisted electrodeposition using tartaric acid as a complexing agent and the characterization of the morphology and structural properties. This study has shown that the InSb nanowires that is deposited using potentiostatic technique and on the bottom side of the conductive layer of AAO are showed better morphology and almost stoichiometric composition. It was found that zinc blend InSb nanowires with good morphology, near the stoichiometric ratio approximately 1:1 ratio and grow preferentially along (220) crystal direction can be fabricated by controlling the concentration of In³⁺ : Sb³⁺  = 2:3 and 3:2, at the deposition time of 30 minutes and above, deposited at potential -1.5V.  This will allow the best InSb nanowire of stoichiometric to be designed and produced for future nanowire device application such as photovoltaic.

Figure 1: (a) FESEM image of InSb nanowires of sample potentio 1 deposited with potentio-1.5V for 40 min (b) the composition of the elements based on EDX.

Table 1: Elemental composition based on EDX characterization of sample potentio 1

*Abstract of the thesis (MSc) by Azelah Kharudin@Khairudin

For further information, please contact:

Suriati Paiman, PhD
suriati@upm.edu.my

Date of Input: 18/08/2025 | Updated: 18/08/2025 | roslina_ar