Band-offset driven efficiency of the doping of SiGe core-shell nanowires

Impurity doping of semiconducting nanowires is expected to become increasingly inefficient as the wire diameter shrinks down, because impurity states get deeper due to quantum and dielectric confinement. Here we show that efficient n- and p-type doping can be achieved in strongly confined SiGe core-shell nanowires, taking advantage of the type-II band offset at the Si/Ge interface. A one-dimensional electron (hole) gas is created at the band-edge and the carrier density is uniquely controlled by the impurity concentration with no need of thermal activation. Additionally, SiGe core-shell nanowires provide naturally the separation between the different types of carriers, electron and holes, and are ideally suited for photovoltaic applications.