Understanding the effect of nanowire orientation on time evolution of Raman spectra from laser irradiated InAs nanowire surface

We investigate differences observed in the time evolution of Raman spectra for differently oriented (in plane) InAs nanowires (NWs), using polarized Raman spectroscopy. Specially designed polarized Raman spectroscopy experiments elucidate that laser irradiation leads to the formation of an oriented crystalline oxide film on the InAs NW surface. Both the formation of oriented crystalline oxides and Raman selection rules leading to the presence/absence of oxide peaks in the unpolarized Raman spectra are uncommon occurrences and can lead to incorrect interpretations of the oxidation process, if not looked into carefully. Further, the specially designed heating and cooling experiments for a mixed phase (wurtzite + zinc blende) InAs NW revealed the formation of specific allotropes of elemental As, i.e. gray-As (rhombohedral) and black-As (orthorhombic: metastable) at low (700–950 K) and high simulated temperatures (1000–1300 K) on the InAs NW surface, respectively. Both have high electrical conductivity due to a layered structure and control over the growth of only a few layers using laser irradiation envisages properties similar to graphene. This kind of surface of InAs NWs has the potential for novel device applications, where a semiconductor–insulator–metal heterostructure is required.