Intrinsic defects, impurities and doping in ZnO nanorods grown at low temperature

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2013-02, Vol.110 (2), p.453-457
• Main Authors: Nadarajah, Athavan, Könenkamp, Rolf
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annealing; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Cold working, work hardening; annealing, quenching, tempering, recovery, and recrystallization; textures; Condensed Matter Physics; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Defect annealing; Defects; Dislocations; Exact sciences and technology; Impurities; Lattice strain; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials science; Nanorods; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Photoluminescence; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Treatment of materials and its effects on microstructure and properties; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-012-7241-7

We report on the defect properties of single-crystalline ZnO nanorods grown from solutions at temperatures below 90 °C. The nanorods can easily be doped by providing impurity precursors during growth. In the as-grown state the nanorods exhibit considerable lattice strain and distortions which compromise their electrical and optical properties. Upon annealing at moderate temperatures of