Growth of germanium nanowires using liquid GeCl4 as a precursor: the critical role of Si impurities

Liquid GeCl4 precursors have been employed to grow into one dimensional Ge nanowires (NWs) via a vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) process, in which Si, supplied as a form of liquid SiCl4, plays a critical role for the successful formation of Ge NWs.