Nanoengineering of Cluster Crystallization of ZnO

Abstract

Nanoengineering of cluster crystallization of ZnO at different growth interfaces was studied by expanding the unit cell dimensions in 3D space. At the crystal growth interface, the chemical bonding between ZnO nanoclusters and the lattice dominates the growth behaviors of ZnO single crystals. On the basis of chemical bonding theory of single crystal growth, ZnO morphologies were quantitatively calculated by the chemical bonding conditions of nanoclusters at different growth interfaces. When the unit cell dimensions of ZnO nanoclusters expand along the a(b) axis, the decreased chemical bonding energy density at (100) interface leads to the preferential growth of ZnO along the c-axis and the morphology evolution from nanorod to nanowire. When the unit cell dimensions of ZnO nanoclusters expand along the c axis, the decreased chemical bonding energy densities at (001) and (00-1) interfaces lead to the preferential growth of ZnO along the a(b)-axis and the morphology evolution from nanorod to nanoplatelete.