Vapor phase growth and optical properties of single-crystalline SnO 2 nanobelts

Abstract

Mass production of single-crystalline SnO 2 nanobelts was successfully achieved through a thermal evaporation of metallic Sn powders at 900 °C. The as-prepared SnO 2 nanobelts were typically 30–200 nm in width, 10–50 nm in thickness, and about tens of micrometers in length. In addition to the classical Raman models, two new Raman bands at 498 and 698 cm −1 are observed for rutile-phased SnO 2 nanobelts, which can be attributed to the IR-active A 2u TO and A 2u LO modes, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of SnO 2 nanobelts featured an emission band at 615 nm (with a small shoulder at 585 nm), which might correspond to the existence of oxygen deficiencies in the produced belts. The formation of SnO 2 nanobelts followed a vapor–solid (VS) growth mechanism.