Growth of high-quality ZnO nanowires without a catalyst

• Published in: Physica. B, Condensed matter Vol. 405; no. 19; pp. 4216 - 4218
• Main Authors: Abdulgafour, H.I., Hassan, Z., Al-Hardan, N.H., Yam, F.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01-10-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Annealing; Catalysts; Condensed matter; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Nanocrystals and nanoparticles; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Nanostructure; Nanowires; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale materials and structures; Physics; PL spectroscopy; Quantum wires; Thermal evaporation; Zinc; Zinc oxide; ZnO nanostructures; ZnO nanostructures; Nanowires; PL spectroscopy; Thermal evaporation; Scanning electron microscopy; Annealing; X-ray microscopy; Surface morphology; Photoluminescence; Controlled atmospheres; Crystallinity; Growth mechanism; Zinc oxide; Vacuum evaporation; Nanomaterial synthesis
• ISSN: 0921-4526; 1873-2135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.physb.2010.07.013

In this study, an efficient method to achieve a wide range of high-quality zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures through zinc powder evaporation at lower temperatures is developed. ZnO nanowires could be synthesized on n-type silicon substrates by a simple thermal-evaporation technique without a catalyst at 550, 600, and 650
°C. Samples are annealed in wet oxygen and ambient argon gases. Surface morphology, crystallinity, and optical properties of the ZnO nanowires are examined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence measurement. The optimum temperature for synthesizing high-density, long ZnO nanowires was determined as 650
°C. The possible growth mechanism of ZnO nanowires is also proposed.