Structure and resistivity of bismuth nanobelts in situ synthesized on silicon wafer through an ethanol-thermal method

Bismuth nanobelts in situ grown on a silicon wafer were synthesized through an ethanol-thermal method without any capping agent. The structure of the bismuth belt–silicon composite nanostructure was characterized by scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and high resolution transmission electron microscope. The nanobelt is a multilayered structure 100–800 nm in width and over 50 μm in length. One layer has a thickness of about 50 nm. A unique sword-like nanostructure is observed as the initial structure of the nanobelts. From these observations, a possible growth mechanism of the nanobelt is proposed. Current–voltage property measurements indicate that the resistivity of the nanobelts is slightly larger than that of the bulk bismuth material.