Synthesis and electrical characterization of tungsten oxide nanowires

Tungsten oxide nanowires of diameters ranging from 7 to 200~nm are prepared on a tungsten rod substrate by using the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method with vapour--solid (VS) mechanism. Tin powders are used to control oxygen concentration in the furnace, thereby assisting the growth of the tungsten oxide nanowires. The grown tungsten oxide nanowires are determined to be of crystalline W₁₈O₄₉. I--V curves are measured by an \textit{in situ} transmission electron microscope (TEM) to investigate the electrical properties of the nanowires. All of the I--V curves observed are symmetric, which reveals that the tungsten oxide nanowires are semiconducting. Quantitative analyses of the experimental I--V curves by using a metal--semiconductor--metal (MSM) model give some intrinsic parameters of the tungsten oxide nanowires, such as the carrier concentration, the carrier mobility and the conductivity.     

Investigation of electrical and optoelectronic properties of zinc oxide nanowires

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires have been synthesized by using tubular furnace chemical vapor deposition technique. The morphology, chemical composition and crystal structure of as-synthesized ZnO nanowires were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Four-terminal current-voltage (I-V) measurements were employed to study the electrical conductance of ZnO nanowires under various testing gas environments for gas sensing purpose. The I-V curves at temperature ranging from 150 to 300 K were recorded in the testing chamber under vacuum. The Arrhenius plot shows perfect linear relationship between the logarithm of the current I and inverse temperature 1/T. The donor level of the semiconducting nanowires is about 326 meV. The I-V behaviors were found to be reversible and repeatable with testing gases. The electrical conductivity was enhanced by a factor of four with ambient CO gas compared to that in vacuum and other testing gases. The optoelectronic properties of the ZnO nanowires were obtained by two-terminal I-V measurement method while the nanowires were illuminated by a ruby laser. The electrical conductivity was increased by 60% when the laser was present in comparison to that when the laser was off. Those significant changes suggest that nano-devices constructed by the ZnO nanowires could be used in gas sensing and optical switching applications.     

Synthesis, characterization and photoluminescence of tin oxide nanoribbons and nanowires

In this work we report the successful formation of tin oxide nanowires and tin oxide nanoribbons with high yield and by using simple cheap method. We also report the formation of curved nanoribbon, wedge-like tin oxide nanowires and star-like nanowires. The growth mechanism of these structures has been studied. Scanning electron microscope was used in the analysis and the EDX analysis showed that our samples is purely Sn and O with ratio 1:2. X-ray analysis was also used in the characterization of the tin oxide nanowire and showed the high crystallinity of our nanowires. The mechanism of the growth of our1D nanostructures is closely related to the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) process. The photoluminescence PL measurements for the tin oxide nanowires indicated that there are three stable emission peaks centered at wavelengths 630, 565 and 395 nm. The nature of the transition may be attributed to nanocrystals inside the nanobelts or to Sn or O vacancies occurring during the growth which can induce trapped states in the band gap.     

Cathodoluminescence study of isoelectronic doping of gallium oxide nanowires

Isoelectronic (In, Al) doped gallium oxide nanowires have been grown by a vapour solidification process. XRD and TEM were used for their structural characterization. The morphology and optical properties of the In(Al)-doped Ga₂O₃ nanowires have been investigated by means of the secondary electrons and cathodoluminescence (CL) techniques in the SEM. Red and blue-UV emission bands appear as complex bands and their components are influenced by the presence of In or Al, leading to a blue-shift of the blue-UV band usually observed in undoped gallium oxide. These In and Al related changes in the luminescence features of doped Ga₂O₃ nanostructures are discussed.     

Alloying InAs and InP nanowires for optoelectronic applications: A first principles study

The capability of nanowires to relieve the stress introduced by lattice mismatching through radial relaxation opens the possibility to search for devices for optoelectronic applications. However, there are difficulties to fabricate, and therefore to explore the properties of nanowires with narrow diameters. Here we apply first principles calculations to study the electronic and optical properties of narrow InAs_1 − xP_x nanowires. Our results show that the absorption threshold can be pushed to near-ultraviolet region, and suggests that arrays of these nanowires with different diameters and compositions could be used as devices acting from the mid-infrared to the near-ultraviolet region.     

Synthesis and characterization of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Monodisperse iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) of 4 nm were obtained through high-temperature solution phase reaction of iron (III) acetylacetonate with 1, 2-hexadecanediol in the presence of oleic acid and oleylamine. The as-synthesized iron oxide nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements. The species obtained were Fe₃O₄ and/or $\upgamma$ -Fe₂O₃. These NPs are superparamagnetic at room temperature and even though the reduced particle size they show a high saturation magnetization (MS ≈ 90 emu/g).     

Tunable emission and conductivity enhancement by tellurium doping in CdS nanowires for optoelectronic applications

Improvement of the optical and electrical characteristics is essential to get advanced performance from one dimensional (1D) material. Here, we report the first synthesis of a single crystalline Te-doped CdS nanowires (NWs) by a chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD) method. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed that Te concentration plays an important role in tuning emission color from orange to infrared (IR). Decrease in bandgap and PL intensity with increase in Te concentration was observed as compared to undoped CdS NWs. Red and IR emissions were found at 736.5 and 881 nm for doping concentration >6.06%. To our best knowledge, IR emission band has been observed for the first time in CdS NWs. Red-shift of LO phonon mode and its overtone in Raman spectra, and lifetime of red and IR emissions are longer than bandgap of host indicating the doping effect of CdS NWs. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the Te-doped CdS NWs further confirms the presence of Te in the CdS NWs. Output characteristics confirm enhanced output current I_ds with the increase in doping concentration. A possible growth mechanism was proposed. Doping technique offers to develop high-quality, a very stable, effective, and easily-applicable way to enhance the performance of one dimensional optoelectronic devices and solar cell applications.     

Synthesis and characterization of single- and co-doped SnO2 thin films for optoelectronic applications

Doped SnO₂ thin films have been prepared by sputtering from two different targets: antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) and antimony and zinc doped tin oxide (AZTO). In the case of ATO ceramic, the antimony amount only reaches 0.012 mol per formula unit due to its evaporation at high temperature while the presence of Zn²⁺ in AZTO prevents the antimony evaporation, greatly enhances the ceramic density and allows the deposition of thin films with a high deposition rate. Both types of thin films have a dense morphology with a smooth surface and they are polycrystalline. For post-annealed ATO thin films, the Drude model was applied to deduce the carrier concentration, the optical mobility as well as the resistivity. The carrier concentration is around ten times higher for ATO thin films compared to AZTO. The two combined effects (higher carrier concentration and mobility) for ATO thin films doped with 1.2% of Sb lead to the best optoelectronic performances, confirming previous results obtained with ceramics. Nevertheless, we have a better opportunity to modulate the conductivity in the case of AZTO thin films.     

Synthesis and characterisation of NIR-emitting nanocrystals for photonic and optoelectronic applications

A general synthetic strategy for the synthesis of the near-infrared emitting materials, colloidal HgTe and PbX (where X = S, Se, Te) nanocrystals is introduced. Further, the potential for these materials to be employed in a wide variety of applications is discussed.     

Synthesis and characterization of GaN nanowires

In this work, GaN nanowires were fabricated on Si substrates coated with NiCl₂ thin films using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method by evaporating Ga₂O₃ powder at 1100 °C in ammonia gas flow. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectrum are used to characterize the samples. The results demonstrate that the nanowires are single-crystal GaN with hexagonal wurtzite structure. The growth mechanism of GaN nanowires is also discussed.     

Fabrication and characterization of dual-band organic/inorganic photodetector for optoelectronic applications

In this work, the optoelectronic performance of organic/inorganic heterojunction photodiode based on alpha-sexithiophene (α-6T/n-Si) is introduced. A thin film of α-6T was deposited on the n-type silicon substrate by a thermal evaporation technique. The topographical properties of the α-6T thin film grown on the n-Si substrate were investigated using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) technique. A network of nanocrystalline needles over the film surface was observed which give rise to an improvement in the electric charge transport. The optical properties of the prepared thin film were investigated using a spectrophotometric technique. The high absorption of α-6T in UV and visible region suggested the ability of this architecture for UV and visible light detection. The I-V characteristics of the fabricated photodiode were investigated in dark and under different illumination intensities and different wavelengths. The present architecture showed a good response to halogen lamb light, where the estimated values of rising and falling time at 160 mW/cm² were about 400 ms and 450 ms, respectively. The results show the possibility of using Au/α-6T/n-Si/Al structure as a photodetector for a wide range of the solar spectrum (UV–Visible).     

Synthesis and characterization of ultra-long silica nanowires

Large-scale synthesis of amorphous silica nanowires was achieved by using simple physical evaporation of a mixture of Si and Al₂O₃ powders. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the silica nanowires have lengths of several mm and diameters of 20–100 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that these nanowires consisted of Si and O elements in an atomic ratio of approximately 1:2, consistent with the stoichiometric formula SiO₂. Photoluminescence measurements showed a blue luminescence band in the wavelength range of 400–500 nm with three peaks at 420 nm, 440 nm, and 470 nm, respectively, which also differs from the previous reports of the photoluminescence for oxygen-deficient silica nanowires. This may suggest that the fully oxidized silica nanowires still have many structural defects that contribute to the photoluminescence. PACS 81.05.Ys; 78.55.Et; 78.30.Fs; 52.75.Rx; 81.15.Gh; 64.70.Fx     

Structural,electrical and optical properties of MgO-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite for optoelectronic applications

MgO-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites (NCs) were synthesized by a simple two-step chemical method. The microstructure, surface morphology, and composition of the prepared samples have been studied. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis confirmed the crystalline cubic MgO nanoparticle and rGO sheets. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed the spherical MgO nanoparticles well dispersed over the graphene sheets. UV–visible spectroscopy analysis demonstrated that a red shift in the wavelength dependent absorbance curve. The band gap of the samples was found to be decreased with the increase of rGO content. The dielectric studies have been examined in the frequency range 500 Hz−5 MHz and found significant improvement in the dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and electric properties due to rGO addition.This is mainly attributed to the strong interfacial polarization (Maxwell–Wagner polarization) between MgO and rGO sheets. Further, the modulation of charge carrier density with rGO additions help to enhance the electrical conductivity of NCs and thus, encouraging to have wider application in electronic and energy technologies.     

Synthesis and characterization of PbS nanorods and nanowires

 A surfactant assisted solvotermal approach for the controllable synthesis of PbS nanowires and nanorods is applied. The synthesis is based on decomposition of lead thiocyanate in boiling benzyl alcohol with Cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide used as a surfactant. Nanowires of PbS (about 2–3 μm with an average diameter of 30–50 nm) and nanorods (200–300 nm in length with an axial ratio of 4–5) were synthesised. The nanostructures were characterized by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and X-ray diffraction analysis. The experimental results indicate that the reaction duration and concentration of surfactant play key roles in determining the final morphologies of PbS blocks building and also in their crystallinity. A possible mechanism for creation of PbS nanowires and nanorods is discussed.     

The influence of hydrogen on the growth of gallium catalyzed silicon oxide nanowires

In this paper, we report that amorphous silicon oxide nanowires can be grown in a large quantity by chemical vapor deposition with molten gallium as the catalyst in a flow of mixture of SiH₄, H₂ and N₂ at 600 °C. Meanwhile, when we grow these nanowires under the same conditions but without H₂, octopus-like silicon oxide nanostructures are obtained. The reasons and mechanisms for the growth of these nanowires and nanostructures are discussed. Blue light emission is observed from SiO_x nanowires, which can be attributed to defect centers of high oxygen deficiency. These SiO_x nanowires may find applications in nanodevices and reinforcing composites.     

Electrical characteristics and optoelectronic properties of metal--semiconductor--metal structure with zinc oxide nanowires across Au electrodes

This paper reports on a method of assembling semiconducting ZnO nanowires onto a pair of Au electrodes to construct a metal--semiconductor metal （MSM） structure by dieleetrophoresis and studying on its electrical characteristics by using current-voltage （Ⅰ - Ⅴ） measurements. An electronic model with two back to back Sehottky diodes in series with a semiconductor of nanowires was established to study the electrical transport of the MSM structures. By fitting the measured Ⅰ - Ⅴ characteristics using the proposed model, the parameters of the Schottky contacts and the resistance of nanowires could be acquired. The photoelectric properties of the MSM structures were also investigated by analysing the measurements of the electrical transports under various light intensities. The deduced results demonstrate that ZnO nanowires and their Schottky contacts with Au electrodes both contribute to photosensitivity and the MSM structures with ZnO nanowires are potentially applicable for photonic devices.     

Synthesis and characterization of Ag-doped p-type ZnO nanowires

P-type ZnO nanowires with silver (Ag) doping were synthesized via a chemical vapor deposition process. The incorporation of Ag was confirmed by selected-area energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The formation of acceptor states was demonstrated by temperature and excitation power-dependent photoluminescence measurements. Characterization of field-effect transistors using Ag-doped ZnO nanowires as channels showed p-type conductivity of the nanowires with a hole concentration of 4.9×10¹⁷ cm⁻³ and a carrier mobility of approximately 0.18 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹.     

Synthesis and characterization of crystalline carbon nitride nanowires

Carbon nitride nanowires were synthesized by thermal nitridation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in a horizontal tube furnace. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images revealed the large-scale formation of nanowires. Selected-area electron diffraction images and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images show that the as-synthesized nanowires grow preferentially along the [110] direction, with diameters of 15 to 100 nm and lengths from several tens of micrometers to several millimeters. Here, the growth mechanism of these nanowires is proposed.     

Quantum wire heterostructure for optoelectronic applications

Quantum wire (QWR) heterostructures suitable for optoelectronic applications should meet a number of requirements, including defect free interfaces, large subband separation, long carrier lifetime, efficient carrier capture. The structural and opticl properties of GaAs/AlGaAs and InGaAs/GaAs quantum wire (QWR) heterostructures grown by organometallic chemical vapor deposition on nonplanr substrates, which satisfy many of these criteria, are described. These crescent-shaped QWRs are formed in situ during epitaxial growth resulting in virtually defect free interfaces. Effective wire widths as small as 10nm have been achieved, corresponding to electron subband separations greater than K_BT at room temperature. The enhanced density of states at the QWR subbands manifests itself in higher optical absorption and emission as visualized in photoluminescence (PL), PL excitation, amplified spontaneous emission and lasing spectra of these structures. Effective carrier capture into the wires via connected quantum well regions, which is important for enhancing the otherwise extremely small capture cross section of these wires, has also been observed. Room temperature operation of GaAs/AlGaAs and strained InGaAs/GaAs QWR lasers with threshold currents as low as 0.6mA has been demonstrated.