Growth and UV Emission of Preferred Oriented ZnO Nanowires Using Hydrothermal Process

Abstract

1-D ZnO nanowires have been attractive for their peculiar properties and easy growth at relatively low temperature. The length, diameter, and density of ZnO nanowires were determined by the several synthetic parameters, such as PEI concentration, growth time, temperature, and zinc salt concentration. The ZnO nanowires were grown on the <001> oriented seed layer using the hydrothermal process with zinc nitrate and HMTA (hexamethylenetetramine) and their structure and optical properties were characterized. The morphology, length and diameter of the nanowires were strongly affected by the relative and/ or absolute concentration of Zn 2+ and OH −1 and the hydrothermal temperature. When the concentrations of the zinc nitrate HMTA were the same as 0.015 M, the length and diameter of the nanowires were 1.97 µm and 0.07 µm, respectively, and the aspect ratio was 28.1 with the preferred orientation along the <001> direction. XRD and TEM results showed a high crystallinity of the ZnO nanowires. Optical measurement revealed that ZnO nanowires emitted intensive stimulated UV at 376 nm without showing visible emission related to oxygen defects.