Abstract: A Chinese lantern-like silicon oxide nanostructure (nano-lantern) was synthesized on the silicon substrate by thermal evaporation method. The nano-lantern was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), energy-dispersive spectroscope (EDS), and selective area electron diffraction (SAED). The results showed that the nano-lantern had symmetrical structure, with one end connecting with the silicon wafer and the other end being a tin ball. The diameter of the nano-lantern was about 1.5-3.0 μm, arc nanowires distributed between the two ends had a diameter ranging from 70 nm to 150 nm. The catalyst tin ball was a single crystal surrounded by the amorphous silicon oxide nanowires. In addition, the growth mechanism of the silica nano-lantern was discussed and a growth model was proposed. The growing direction of the nanowires and the movement direction of the catalyst Sn ball were not in the same direction, for this reason, the nanowires grew in a bent fashion and formed the Chinese lantern-like silicon oxide nanostructure. The controllable synthesis of the Chinese lantern-like silicon oxide nanostructure might have potential applications in photoelectronics device field.

Key words: Nano-lantern, Silicon oxide nanowire, Vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth mechanism