Silicon-Germanium Nanowires: Chemistry and Physics in Play, from Basic Principles to Advanced Applications

In this review the interest is centered on SiGe nanowires (NWs), a particular class of semiconductor nanowires for which several methods of growth have been developed both in the bottom-up and in the top-down approach. The research activity in this field is one of the most rapidly developing areas in materials science. The confinement in one direction leads to unique transport properties of electrons, phonons, and photons, and additionally, SiGe NWs offer, unlike the corresponding pure Si and pure Ge NWs, the possibility to modulate the electronic, optical, and transport properties, not only by changing the size of the system, but even by varying the geometry of the Si/Ge interface and the relative composition of Si and Ge atoms.