An investigation into the growth conditions and defect states of laminar ZnO nanostructures

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry 2008-01, Vol.18 (43), p.5259-5266
• Main Authors: BENDALL, J. S, VISIMBERGA, G, SZACHOWICZ, M, PLANK, N. O. V, ROMANOV, S, SOTOMAYOR-TORRES, C. M, WELLAND, M. E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical synthesis methods; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanocrystals and nanoparticles; 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; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 0959-9428; 1364-5501
• DOI: 10.1039/b812867g

The variation in morphology of zinc oxide when it crystallises is one of the fascinating aspects of this important semiconductor. Alterations in hydrothermal growth conditions can allow the synthesis of a wide range of shapes and structures, including nanowires and layered structures, formed via a secondary growth regime but, to date, little work has investigated the effect changes in growth conditions can have and their influence on the optical properties. Here, systematic changes in growth conditions and reactants were carried out and the results studied using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, optical transmission, cathodoluminescence and Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. We demonstrate that the choice of the reactants can have a significant effect not just on the morphologies of the structure, but on the fundamental properties of the crystalline state such as alterations into the defect states within the system. Furthermore, secondary growth is shown to be dependent on the underlying primary growth morphology, and general reaction conditions for laminar growth are suggested.