Abstract
Zinc oxide nanowires have been synthesized without using metal catalyst seed layers on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates by a modified vapor phase transport deposition process using a double-tube reactor. The unique reactor configuration creates a Zn-rich vapor environment that facilitates formation and growth of zinc oxide nanoparticles and wires (20–80 nm in diameter, up to 6 μm in length, density <40 nm apart) at substrate temperatures down to 300°C. Electron microscopy and other characterization techniques show nanowires with distinct morphologies when grown under different conditions. The effect of reaction parameters including reaction time, temperature, and carrier gas flow rate on the size, morphology, crystalline structure, and density of ZnO nanowires has been investigated. The nanowires grown by this method have a diameter, length, and density appropriate for use in fabricating hybrid polymer/metal oxide nanostructure solar cells. For example, it is preferable to have nanowires no more than 40 nm apart to minimize exciton recombination in polymer solar cells.
Highlights
IntroductionWe put our work into context by reporting the direct physical synthesis of Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires on an fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate via a new vapor phase transport (VPT) process that utilizes a miniature reaction tube at substrate temperatures down to 300°C
Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires have been synthesized on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrates by a modified vapor transport deposition process using a double-tube reactor configuration
Growth occurs via a self-catalyzed and saturated VLS mechanism with the formation of ZnO nanoparticles that act as nucleation sites for synthesis of ZnO nanowires
Summary
We put our work into context by reporting the direct physical synthesis of ZnO nanowires on an FTO substrate via a new VPT process that utilizes a miniature reaction tube at substrate temperatures down to 300°C. A parametric study of the effects of furnace temperature, reaction time, and carrier gas flow rate on the length, diameter, and number density of ZnO nanowires has been conducted. The goal of these experiments is to determine an optimized combination of these three controllable parameters to produce ZnO nanowires with the desired morphology.
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