Measuring the properties of semiconductor nanowires with transmission electron microscopy

The extremely small feature size and total sample volume of semiconductor nanowire materials has meant that advanced techniques have been required for even the most routine sample characterization since the structures were first reported. Electron microscopy has been the technique of choice for fast and reliable determination of nanowire morphology, structure, and composition since the earliest reports. In particular, the high resolution of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), together with the reasonably high throughput and relatively simple sample preparation, has made this technique necessary for characterization of all reported nanowire materials.On the other hand, TEM is also a powerful technique not only for routine analysis, but for detailed characterization of specific structural, compositional, and physical properties of semiconductor nanowires. The relative flexibility of the technique has also allowed it to be combined with a wide variety of experiment types for in situ investigations of nanowire growth, properties, and response to stimuli.In this chapter the use of TEM to characterize a variety of nanowire properties will be reviewed. The most widely used methods will be described, together with a survey of more advanced measurements performed using the wide array of measurement possibilities that the TEM has to offer. Indeed, it will be clear that the extreme versatility of this instrument is one of the most important reasons for its central role in the development of semiconductor nanowire materials today.