Amorphous and crystalline GeTe nanocrystals

Indika U. Arachchige, Ronald Soriano, Christos D. Malliakas, Sergei A. Ivanov, Mercouri G. Kanatzidis*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

A facile method for the synthesis of crystalline and amorphous GeTe nanoparticles (NPs) using bis((trimethylsilyl)amido)germanium(II), Ge[N(SiMe3)2]2, and elemental tellurium dispersed in tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) is reported. As synthesized, crystalline particles exhibit narrow dispersity at smaller sizes and tend to grow into anisotropic shapes with increasing reaction time (growth). Furthermore, crystalline GeTe NPs possess rhombohedral symmetry with absorption band energies in near IR region (0.76-0.86 eV). Amorphous GeTe particles prepared at low temperatures are nearly spherical in morphology and display amorphous-to- crystalline phase transition at 209-237 °C depending on their primary particle size. Detailed investigation of the local structure of the amorphous GeTe using pair distribution function (PDF) method reveals that it is closely related to that of the pressure- and temperature-stabilized orthorhombic GeTe. A facile method for the synthesis of crystalline and amorphous GeTe nanoparticles (NPs) is reported. As formed crystalline NPs show rhombohedral symmetry and narrow dispersity at smaller size regimes while amorphous NPs display nearly spherical morphology and amorphous-to-crystalline phase transition at 209-237 °C. Detailed investigation of the local structure of the amorphous GeTe reveals that its local structure is equivalent to the pressure- and temperature-stabilized orthorhombic GeTe.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2737-2743
Number of pages7
JournalAdvanced Functional Materials
Volume21
Issue number14
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 22 2011

Keywords

  • amorphous and crystalline nanoparticles
  • germanium telluride
  • pair distribution analysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Chemistry
  • General Materials Science
  • Condensed Matter Physics

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