Synthesis of ceramic nanowire from precursor polymers by ion beam irradiation

Sugimoto, Masaki; Yoshikawa, Masahito; Tsukuda, Satoshi*; Seki, Shuhei*; Tagawa, Seiichi*

We have succeeded in synthesizing the silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires from polycarbosilane (PCS) using MeV-order heavy-ion beam irradiation technique. PCS was crosslinked along ion tracks of nano-size in diameter through the whole thickness of PCS thin film. Nanowires were developed on the surface of the substrate by dissolution and washing away of uncrosslinked polymer by solvent. Subsequent pyrolysis converted polymeric into inorganic SiC nanowires. The diameter of nanowires was depended on LET (liner energy transfer), molecular weight and cross-linking efficiency of PCS.