The synthesis and optical properties of different zinc oxide nanostructures

The tetrapod-like whiskers (T-ZnO), nanoaeroplanes, nanocombs, nanobelts, bead-like nanoforms and many other forms of hexagonal zinc oxide were synthesized by the chemical deposition process (CVD). From the experimental results it can be seen that the composition of source gases and the speed of oxidation are essential to the growth of each of these morphologies of zinc oxide. By controlling the growth conditions, one novel morphology of ZnO (bead-like nanoform) has been obtained. The ZnO tetrapod-like whiskers were grown without catalysts on the walls of quartz tube. The structure and morphology of the T-ZnO was characterized. All four legs of as-grown ZnO nanotetrapods are needle-like and hexagonal shaped and grow in the ±[0001] direction. The effect of synthesis conditions on the morphology and size T-ZnO was observed. Possible mechanisms of growth were investigated. The lengths of the legs of the tetrapods range from 1 to 15 μm and diameter varying from 0.03 to 1 μm during the synthesis. In the photoluminescence spectra T-ZnO clearly shows two maxima at UV and visible regions. The oxygen impurity, particularly, oxygen flow rates mainly influences on increasing (decreasing) at PL peaks. The maximum near of 590–610 nm (～2 eV), confirming the influence of native defects (oxygen vacancies and interstitials) on the PL intensity and optical quenching exciton peak.