TaSi₂ nanowires: A potential field emitter and interconnect

TaSi₂ nanowires have been synthesized on a Si substrate by annealing NiSi₂ films at 950°C in an ambient containing Ta vapor. The nanowires could be grown up to 13 μm in length. Field-emission measurements show that the turn-on field is low at 4-4.5 V/μm and the threshold field is down to 6 V/μm with the field enhancement factor as high as 1800. The metallic TaSi₂ nanowires exhibit excellent electrical properties with a remarkable high failure current density of 3 × 10 ⁸ A cm^-2. In addition, effects of annealing temperatures and capability of metal suicide mediation layer on the growth of nanowires are addressed. This simple approach promises future applications in nanoelectronics and nanooptoelectronics.