Structural and photoluminescence properties of GaN/ZnO core‐shell nanowires with their shells sputtered

We have reported the preparation of ZnO‐coated GaN nanowires and investigated changes in the structural and photoluminescence (PL) properties by the application of a thermal annealing process. For fabricating the core‐shell nanowires, Zn target was used to sputter ZnO shell onto GaN core nanowires. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis indicated that the annealed core‐shell nanowires clearly exhibited the ZnO as well as GaN phase. The transmissoin electron microscopy (TEM) investigation suggested that annealing has induced the crystallization of ZnO shell layer. We have carried out Gaussian deconvolution analysis for the measured PL spectra, revealing that the core GaN nanowires exhibited broad emission which consist of red, yellow, blue, and ultraviolet peaks. ZnO‐sputtering induced new peaks in the green region. Thermal annealing reduced the relative intensity of the green emission. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Preparation,structure and photoluminescence properties of SiO2–coated ZnS nanowires

It is essential to passivate one‐dimensional (1D) nanostructures with insulating materials to avoid crosstalking as well as to protect them from contamination and oxidation. The structure and influence of thermal annealing on the photoluminescence properties of ZnS‐core/SiO₂‐shell nanowires synthesized by the thermal evaporation of ZnS powders followed by the sputter deposition of SiO₂ were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analyses revealed that the cores and shells of the core‐shell nanowires were single crystal zinc blende‐type ZnO and amorphous SiO₂, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement showed that the core‐shell nanowires had a green emission band centered at around 525 nm with a shoulder at around 385 nm. The PL emission of the core‐shell nanowires was enhanced in intensity by annealing in an oxidative atmosphere and further enhanced by subsequently annealing in a reducing atmosphere. Also the origin of the enhancement of the green emission by annealing is discussed based on the energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy analysis results. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Preparation,structure, and photoluminescence properties of Ga2O3/SnO2 coaxial nanowires

Ga₂O₃/SnO₂ coaxial nanowires were synthesized by thermal evaporation of GaN powders and then atomic layer deposition of SnO₂. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results indicate that the Ga₂O₃ cores and the SnO₂ shells of the coaxial nanowires after thermal annealing are single crystals with monoclinic and simple orthorhombic structures, respectively, although the SnO₂ shells are amorphous before annealing. Our results also show that photoluminescence (PL) emission can be enhanced by thermal annealing in an H₂/N₂ atmosphere. EDX concentration profile suggests that the enhancement in the bluish green emission is due to the increase in the concentration of the Ga vacancies in the cores during the H₂/N₂ annealing. On the other hand, a red emission is newly formed while the bluish green emission is degraded by annealing in an oxygen or nitrogen atmosphere (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Controllable synthesis and field emission properties of In2O3 nanostructures

Large‐scale In₂O₃ nanorods, nanocubes and nanowires have been successfully synthesized by chemical vapor deposition route under atmospheric pressure. The structures and morphologies were characterized by x‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning election microscopy (SEM) and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The growth mechanisms of these In₂O₃ nanostructures were analyzed in detail based on the experimental results. Field‐emission measurements of these nanostructures demonstrated that nanorods with rectangular cross‐section possessed good performance with a turn‐on field of 2.47 Vμm^–1 and a field enhancement factor of 4597. The room‐temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the In₂O₃ nanostructure showed UV emission centered at about 396 nm and visible emissions located at 541 and 623 nm. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Effects of passivation and postannealing on the photoluminescence properties of MgO/SiO2 core‐shell nanorods

MgO nanorods were grown by the thermal evaporation of Mg₃N₂ powders on the Si (100) substrate coated with a gold thin film. The MgO nanorods grown on the Si (100) substrate were a few tens of nanometers in diameter and up to a few hundreds of micrometers in length. MgO/SiO₂ core‐shell nanorods were also fabricated by the sputter‐deposition of SiO₂onto the MgO nanorods. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X–ray diffraction (XRD) analysis results indicated that the cores and shells of the annealed core‐shell nanorods were a face‐centered cubic‐type single crystal MgO and amorphous SiO₂, respectively. The photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy analysis results showed that SiO₂ coating slightly decreased the PL emission intensity of the MgO nanorods. The PL emission of the MgO/SiO₂ core‐shell nanorods was, however, found to be considerably enhanced by thermal annealing and strongly depends on the annealing atmosphere. The PL emission of the MgO/SiO₂ core‐shell nanorods was substantially enhanced in intensity by annealing in a reducing atmosphere, whereas it was slightly enhanced by annealing in an oxidative atmosphere. The origin of the PL enhancement by annealing in a reducing atmosphere is discussed with the aid of energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy analyses. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Structural and optical properties of CdO nanowires synthesized from Cd(OH)2 precursors by calcination

CdO nanowires were produced by calcination process using Cd(OH)₂nanowires as precursors. The Cd(OH)₂ nanowires were synthesized via arc discharge method submerged in de‐ionized water. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of the as‐synthesized Cd(OH)₂ nanowires revealed that nanowire morphology was abundant form with the diameters range from 5 to 40 nm. In addition to the nanowire morphology, Cd(OH)₂ nanospheres and hexagonal shaped nanoparticles were also displayed. The Cd(OH)₂ nanostructures were used as precursors to produce CdO nanowires and calcinated in air at 400 °C for four hours. After calcination, the structural, morphological and optical properties of the as‐synthesized CdO nanowires were characterized by means of TEM, selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and UV‐vis spectroscopy. The XRD and SAED techniques showed that the as‐synthesized Cd(OH)₂ nanostructures could be transformed into CdO nanostructures after the calcination process. TEM results revealed that the as‐synthesized CdO nanowires were 5–30 nm in diameter and shorter than corresponding Cd(OH)₂ nanowires. In addition, the diameters of the spherical or irregular CdO nanoparticles ranged from 20 nm to 50 nm. UV‐vis spectroscopy analysis was showed that the direct gap of the CdO nanowires were found to be 2.60 eV which is slightly higher than the earlier reported values of the bulk CdO for direct band gaps (2.3 eV) due to quantum size effect. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Facilitating growth of InAs–InP core–shell nanowires through the introduction of Al

InAs nanowires were grown on GaAs substrates by the Au-assisted vapour–liquid–solid (VLS) method in a gas source molecular beam epitaxy (GSMBE) system. Passivation of the InAs nanowires using InP shells proved difficult due to the tendency for the formation of axial rather than core–shell structures. To circumvent this issue, Al_xIn_1?xAs or Al_xIn_1?xP shells with nominal Al composition fraction of x=0.20, 0.36, or 0.53 were grown by direct vapour–solid deposition on the sidewalls of the InAs nanowires. Characterisation by transmission electron microscopy revealed that the addition of Al in the shell resulted in a remarkable transition from the VLS to the vapour–solid growth mode with uniform shell thickness along the nanowire length. Possible mechanisms for this transition include reduced adatom diffusion, a phase change of the Au seed particle, and surfactant effects. The InAs–AlInP core-shell nanowires exhibited misfit dislocations, while the InAs–AlInAs nanowires with lower strain appeared to be free of dislocations.     

Effect of oxygen partial pressure on the growth of zinc micro and nanostructures

Zinc micro and nanostructures were synthesized in vacuum by condensing evaporated zinc on Si substrate at different gas pressures. The morphology of the grown Zn structures was found to be dependent on the oxygen partial pressure. Depending on oxygen partial pressure it varied from two-dimensional microdisks to one-dimensional nanowire. The morphology and structural properties of the grown micro and nanostructures were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies on the grown Zn nanowires have shown that they exhibit core/shell-like structures, where a thin ZnO layer forms the shell. A possible growth mechanism behind the formation of different micro and nanostructures has been proposed. In addition, we have synthesized ZnO nanocanal-like structures by annealing Zn nanowires in vacuum at 350 °C for 30 min.     

Crystallography and cathodoluminescence of ultra‐long GaN nanowires

Ultra‐long GaN nanowires have been synthesized via a simple thermal evaporation process by heating mixed GaN and Ga₂O₃ powders in a conventional resistance furnace under ammonia gas at 1150 °C. The average length of GaN nanowires is estimated to be more than 100 μm after 30‐min growth, corresponding to a fast growth rate of more than 200 μm/h. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation indicated that the diameter of GaN nanowires was rather uniform along the growth direction and in the range of 100–200 nm. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements confirmed that the GaN nanowires are crystalline wurtzite‐type hexagonal structure. Room‐temperature cathodoluminescence (CL) measurement indicated that an obvious red‐shift of the near band‐edge emission peak centered at 414 nm of the ultra‐long GaN nanowires and a wide shoulder in the range of 600–700 nm were observed. Possible reasons responsible for the red‐shift of the near band‐edge emission of the ultra‐long GaN nanowires was discussed. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Enhancement of the emission from TeO2 nanorods by encapsulation with ZnO

TeO₂‐core/ZnO‐shell nanorods were synthesized by a two–step process comprising thermal evaporation of Te powders and atomic layer deposition of ZnO. Scanning electron microscopy images exhibit that the core‐shell nanorods are 50 ‐ 150 nm in diameter and up to a few tens of micrometers in length, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed that the cores and shells of the core‐shell nanorods were polycrystalline simple tetragonal TeO₂ and amorphous ZnO with ZnO nanocrystallites locally, respectively. Photoluminescence measurement revealed that the TeO₂ nanorods had a weak broad violet band at approximately 430 nm. The emission band was shifted to a yellowish green region (∼540 nm) by encapsulation of the nanorods with a ZnO thin film and the yellowish green emission from the TeO₂‐core/ZnO‐shell nanorods was enhanced significantly in intensity by increasing the shell layer thickness. The highest emission was obtained for 125 ALD cycles (ZnO coating layer thickness: ∼15 nm) and its intensity was much higher than that of the emission from the uncapsulated TeO₂ nanorods. The origin of the enhancement of the emission by the encapsulation is discussed in detail. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Optical properties of Al‐doped ZnO thin films deposited by two different sputtering methods

Aluminum‐doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films were deposited on sapphire (002) and glass substrates by two different sputtering techniques radio frequency magnetron cosputtering of AZO and ZnO targets and sputtering of an AZO target. The dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) and transmittance properties of the AZO films deposited by cosputtering and sputtering on the AZO/ZnO target power ratio, R and the O₂/Ar flow ratio, r were investigated, respectively. Only a deep level emission peak appears in the PL spectra of cosputtered AZO films whereas both UV emission and deep level emission peaks are observed in the PL spectra of sputtered AZO films. The absorption edges in the transmittance spectra of the AZO films shift to the lower wavelength region as R and r increase. Also effects of crystallinity, surface roughness, PL on the transmittance of the AZO films were explained using the X‐ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and PL analysis results. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Controllable synthesis,characterization and optical properties of Ag@AgCl coaxial core‐shell nanocables

Core‐shell structures often exhibit improved physical and chemical properties. Developing a relatively general, facile, and low temperature synthetic approach for core‐shell structures with complex compositions is still a particularly challenging work. Here we report a general chemical conversion route to prepare high quality Ag@AgCl coaxial core‐shell nanocables via the redox reaction between Ag nanowires and FeCl₃ in solution. The powder X‐ray diffraction of the Ag@AgCl coaxial core‐shell nanocables shows additional diffraction peaks corresponding to AgCl crystals apart from the signals from the Ag nanowire cores. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images of the Ag@AgCl coaxial core‐shell nanocables reveal that the Ag nanowires are coated with AgCl nanoparticles. The effect of the molar ratio of Fe:Ag on the morphology and optical absorption of the Ag@AgCl coaxial core‐shell nanocables is systematically investigated. The result shows that the optical absorption of Ag nanowires decreases gradually and that of AgCl nanoparticles improves gradually with the increase of the molar ratio of Fe:Ag. The formation process of the Ag@AgCl coaxial core‐shell nanocables has been discussed in detail. The present chemical conversion approach is expected to be employed in a broad range of applications to fabricate innovative core‐shell structures with different compositions and shapes for unique properties. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Fabrication and photocatalytic property of ZnO/SrTiO3 core/shell nanorod arrays

ZnO/SrTiO₃ core/shell nanorod arrays were fabricated by a facile two‐step method. ZnO nanorod arrays were first hydrothermally grown on Si substrate. Then, using liquid phase deposition method, SrTiO₃ were deposited onto the ZnO nanorods to form core/shell nanorod structures. The morphologies and structures of the products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. The photocatalytic behavior of the nanorod arrays was also examined through the photodegradation of methylene blue solution under UV irradiation. It was found that the core/shell nanorod arrays with deposition time of 10 min showed higher photocatalytic activity than bare ZnO nanorod arrays. This enhancement was attributed to the efficient charge separation at the ZnO/SrTiO₃ interface.     

Synthesis,characterization and electrical properties of hybrid Zn2GeO4–ZnO beaded nanowire arrays

We report the syntheses of vertically aligned, beaded zinc germinate (Zn₂GeO₄)/zinc oxide (ZnO) hybrid nanowire arrays via a catalyst-free approach. Vertically aligned ZnO nanowire is used as a lattice matching reactive template for the growth of Zn₂GeO₄/ZnO nanowire. The morphology and structure of the as-prepared samples were characterized using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). TEM studies revealed the beaded microstructures of the Zn₂GeO₄/ZnO nanowire. The thickness and microstructures of crystalline beads could be easily controlled by tuning the growth duration and temperature. The photoluminescence spectrum of the Zn₂GeO₄/ZnO nanowires is composed of two peaks, i.e., the ultraviolet (UV) peak and the defect peak. For longer treatment duration of the samples, both the UV and defect peak intensities decrease dramatically. One application of the as-prepared Zn₂GeO₄/ZnO nanowire is to use the nanowire as template for the growth of three-dimensionally (3D) aligned, high-density ZnO nanobranches en route to hierarchical structure. The study of field emission properties of the as-prepared samples revealed the low turn-on voltage and high current density electron emission from the 3D ZnO nanobranches as compared to the ZnO nanowires and Zn₂GeO₄/ZnO nanowires. Furthermore, the electrical transport behavior of single hybrid nanowire device indicates the formation of back-to-back Schottky barriers (SBs) formation at the contacts and its application in white-light response has been demonstrated.     

Depth‐profile analysis from X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy on As‐implanted ZnO activated in ozone ambient

Chemical bonds of As‐implanted ZnO annealed in ozone molecular (O₃) ambient were analyzed through the x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy as a function of the etching depth. With the etching depth increased to 25 nm from surface, the peaks of Zn2p and O1s core levels shifted toward the low‐binding energy, and the bonding formation of As 3d core level gradually varied from As₂O₅ to As₂O₃. The new peaks were observed, which were posited to high‐binding energy of 4.4 eV from Zn2p and O1s core levels. Finally, the chemical bonds of As‐based oxides were found to consist of Zn(AsO₃)₂, As₂O₅, and As₂O₃. (© 2007 WILEY ‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Controllable growth of ZnO nanowires with different aspect ratios and microstructures and their photoluminescence and photosensitive properties

ZnO nanowires with variable aspect ratios and microstructures have been prepared by a hydrothermal reaction of Zn foil and Na₂C₂O₄ solution at 140 °C. The ZnO nanowires are single crystalline with the wurtzite structure and grow in the [0 0 0 1] direction, and their aspect ratios and microstructures can be changed by tuning the reaction time and the Na₂C₂O₄ concentration. UV and blue-green emissions that depended on the Na₂C₂O₄ concentration are observed from the ZnO nanowires with different aspect ratios. The photosensitivity of ZnO ultralong nanowires with honeycomb-like micropatterns is found to be about 10 at 5 V.     

Rapid synthesis and catalytic performance of α‐Mn2O3 single‐crystal nanowires

Single‐crystal α‐Mn₂O₃ nanowires were prepared via a “self‐sacrificing template” route, simply by calcining the prepared α‐MnO₂ nanowire precursors at 550 °C for 1.5 h. XRD, TEM, SEM and HRTEM characterizations show that the as‐prepared α‐Mn₂O₃ samples are all phase pure and the nanowires have uniform diameters of approximately 15‐30 nm and lengths up to several micrometers. The catalytic performances of the prepared α‐Mn₂O₃ nanowires were studied in the degradation of coking wastewater with H₂O₂ as the oxidant, and the technological conditions were optimized by single‐factor and orthogonal experiments. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Microemulsion synthesis and characterization of aluminum doped ZnO nanorods

Aluminium doped ZnO (AZO) nanorods were synthesized by microemulsion method with different types of surfactants. Scanning electron microscopy observations show that the ZnO nanorods have diameters around about 80 nm and lengths up to several micrometers. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of AZO nanorods exhibited a sharp and strong ultraviolet bandgap at 383 nm and a relatively weaker emission associated with the defect level. AZO nanorods synthesized with sodium benzene sulfonate (SBS) surfactant showed lower resistivity than aluminum doped ZnO nanorods synthesized with dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid sodium salt (DBS) surfactant. Resistivity of AZO nanorods synthesized with SBS surfactant showed 2.8×10³ Ωcm. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Characterization of annealed zinc oxide nanotip array prepared by chemical bath deposition

We investigate the characteristics of thermally annealed ZnO nanotip in various ambient. AZO seed layer was first prepared on glass substrate by RF sputtering. A vertically oriented ZnO nanotip array was grown on AZO seed layer/glass by chemical bath deposition with precursors of zinc nitrate and ammonia at 70 °C. By thermal annealing in N₂O ambient at 300 °C for 1 hour, the characteristics of ZnO nanotip array were improved and the ultraviolet sensor shows the best rise time of 50 s, decay time of 70 s and on/off current ratio of 26.04.     

Controlled synthesis of various morphologies of nanostructured zinc oxide: flower,nanoplate, and urchin

Nanoplates, flower‐like nanostructure of ZnO were successfully synthesized by employing ZnSO₄·7H₂O, NaOH as the starting materials at 120°C under hydrothermal condition. Keeping the same parameters, ZnO urchin shape was obtained by addition of vitamin C at 190°C. Characterizations were carried out by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) at room temperature. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern confirms that the product is single crystalline nature. The possible formation mechanisms for synthesized ZnO nanosturcture with various morphologies have also been proposed. PL spectrum from the ZnO flower‐like structures reveals weak UV emission and strong green emission. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)