Catalytic growth of semiconducting zinc oxide nanowires and their photoluminescence properties

Semiconducting ZnO nanowires have been produced in bulk quantity by heating Zn powders (99.99%) containing An nanoparticles at 900 degreesC. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy observations show that the ZnO nanowires have diameters ranging from 30 to 60 nm and lengths up to several tens of micrometers. The growth of ZnO nanowires is controlle d by the conventional vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) mechanism. A green light emi ssion was observed at room temperature, which could be attributed to the si ngly ionized oxygen vacancy formed in the ZnO nanowires. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.