Bicrystalline indium oxide nanobelts

Indium oxide (In₂O₃) nanobelts were synthesized by a chemical vapor deposition using thermal oxidation of In at 1000 °C. The nanobelts exhibited a unique bicrystalline structure that consisted of two single-crystalline cubic In₂O₃ nanobelts each having a different growth direction that often split along the twin boundary that exists at the centerline. The width of split nanobelts was 200–500 nm and the thickness was about 1/10 of the width. The growth direction of the bicrystals was 310]/611] or 310]/411]. X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence were measured to characterize the crystalline nature of the nanobelts. PACS 61.64.+w; 61.50.-f; 68.90.+g