Characterization of zinc oxide crystal whiskers grown by thermal evaporation

ZnO crystal whiskers were prepared via a simple thermal evaporation of a mi xture of ZnS and Fe(NO3)(3). The growth process was carried out in an alumi na tube at 1300 degreesC using Ar mixed with 5% H-2 as the carrier gas. The ZnO whiskers obtained had diameters ranging from 200 to 500 urn and length s up to several hundreds of micrometers. The photoluminescence spectrum of as-grown ZnO whiskers was studied. The influences of reaction temperature, time, and carrier gases on the formation of the whiskers were investigated. A preliminary growth mechanism of the ZnO crystal whiskers was proposed. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.