Properties of SiC‐Based One‐Dimensional Nanostructures

Summary

This chapter is based around the presentation of the physical properties expected in silicon carbide (SiC)‐based one‐dimensional (1D) nanostructures. First, it discusses the properties of the SiC material, focusing on the electronic properties of SiC as well as its crystalline properties. Next, it describes the definition of 1D nanostructures and a demonstration of their physical and chemical properties. Polytypism is the ability of a substance to crystallize into different crystalline structures. Polytypism is a particular case of 1D polymorphism, since it is limited to the crystallization possibilities offered by the stacking of a “module” of identical chemical composition. In the case of SiC, the base “module” is made of a bilayer formed by the basal plane, itself made of Si atoms, and the plane containing the carbon atom in the tetrahedral site. SiC crystallizes mainly as hexagonal, rhombohedral or cubic systems.