We examine the impact of shell content and the associated hole confinement on carrier transport in Ge-Si(x)Ge(1-x) core-shell nanowires (NWs). Using NWs with different Si(x)Ge(1-x) shell compositions (x = 0.5 and 0.7), we fabricate NW field-effect transistors (FETs) with highly doped source/drain and examine their characteristics dependence on shell content. The results demonstrate a 2-fold higher mobility at room temperature, and a 3-fold higher mobility at 77K in the NW FETs with higher (x = 0.7) Si shell content by comparison to those with lower (x = 0.5) Si shell content. Moreover, the carrier mobility shows a stronger temperature dependence in Ge-Si(x)Ge(1-x) core-shell NWs with high Si content, indicating a reduced charge impurity scattering. The results establish that carrier confinement plays a key role in realizing high mobility core-shell NW FETs.

Electrical injection of spin-polarized electrons into a semiconductor, large spin diffusion length, and an integration friendly platform are desirable ingredients for spin-based devices. Here we demonstrate lateral spin injection and detection in germanium nanowires, by using ferromagnetic metal contacts and tunnel barriers for contact resistance engineering. Using data measured from over 80 samples, we map out the contact resistance window for which lateral spin transport is observed, manifestly showing the conductivity matching required for spin injection. Our analysis, based on the spin diffusion theory, indicates that the spin diffusion length is larger than 100 mum in germanium nanowires at 4.2 K.

We report the growth of germanium (Ge)—silicon-germanium (SixGe1−x) epitaxial core-shell nanowire (NW) heterostructures, with tunable Si and Ge shell content. The Ge NWs are grown using the vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism, and the SixGe1−x shells are grown in situ, conformally on the Ge NWs using ultrahigh vacuum chemical vapor deposition. We use transmission electron microscopy to demonstrate epitaxial shell growth, and scanning energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy to determine the shell thickness and content. The Si and Ge shell content can be tuned depending on the SiH4 and GeH4 partial pressures during the shell growth, enabling band engineered core-shell NW heterostructures.

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