We investigate the metallic phases observed in hybrid metal-GaAs nanowire devices obtained by controlled thermal annealing of Ni/Au electrodes. Devices are fabricated onto a SiN membrane compatible with transmission electron microscopy studies. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy allows us to show that the nanowire body includes two Ni-rich phases that thanks to an innovative use of electron diffraction tomography can be unambiguously identified as Ni3GaAs and Ni5As2 crystals. The mechanisms of Ni incorporation leading to the observed phenomenology are discussed.
Keywords: Electron diffraction tomography; GaAs nanowires; hybrid metal−semiconductor nanowires; thermal annealing; transmission electron microscopy.