Abstract
Here we report the solution-liquid-solid (SLS) synthesis of silicon (Si) nanowires. Nanowires are grown by trisilane (Si 3 H 8 ) decomposition in a high boiling solvent, octacosane (C 28 H 58 ) or squalane (C 30 H 62 ), in the presence of either Au or Bi nanocrystals. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a colloidal synthetic route carried out in a solvent at atmospheric pressure that provides crystalline Si nanowires in large quantities. Copyright © 2008 American Chemical Society.