Synthesis, structure and photoelectrochemical properties of single crystalline silicon nanowire arrays

In the present work, n-type silicon nanowire (n-SiNW) arrays have been synthesized by self-assembly electroless metal deposition (EMD) nanoelectrochemistry. The synthesized n-SiNW arrays have been submitted to scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and optical studies. Initial probes of the solar device conversion properties and the photovoltaic parameters such as short-circuit current, open-circuit potential, and fill factor of the n-SiNW arrays have been explored using a liquid-junction in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) system under white light. Moreover, a direct comparison between the PEC performance of a polished n-Si(100) and the synthesized n-SiNW array photoelectrodes has been done. The PEC performance was significantly enhanced on the n-SiNWs photoelectrodes compared with that on polished n-Si(100).     

单晶铋纳米线阵列的可控生长

采用脉冲电化学沉积技术,利用同一直径的氧化铝模板,通过调节脉冲参数制备出了不同直径的单晶铋纳米线阵列,同时实现了纳米线取向的可控生长.保持脉冲弛豫时间不变,纳米线的直径随着脉冲沉积时间的增加而变大,纳米线的取向随着脉冲占空比的变化发生移动.     

Synthesis and characterization of extremely uniform Fe-Co-Ni ternary alloy nanowire arrays

We have fabricated extremely uniform arrays of polycrystalline Fe-Co-Ni ternary alloy nanowires having composition Fe 12.3 wt.%, Co 43.9 wt.% and Ni 43.8 wt.%. The wires are made by electrodeposition into nanoporous alumina templates, using an electrodeposition voltage of 15 V at 1000 Hz. Nanowires have been fabricated having diameters ranging from 43 nm to 120 nm, and lengths of 3 microm to 7 microm, as dependent upon template topology. The magnetization easy axis lies along the nanowire length, with an easy axis coercivity of 72 kA/m.     

Synthesis of PbTe nanowire arrays using lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition

We describe the preparation by electrodeposition of arrays of lead telluride (PbTe) nanowires using the lithographically patterned nanowire electrodeposition (LPNE) method. PbTe nanowires had a rectangular cross-section with adjustable width and height ranging between 60-400 nm (w) and 20-100 nm (h). The characterization of these nanowire arrays using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is reported. PbTe nanowires were electrodeposited using a cyclic electrodeposition-stripping technique that produced polycrystalline, stoichiometric, face-centered cubic PbTe with a mean grain diameter of 10-20 nm. These nanowires were more than 1 mm in length and two additional processing steps permitted their suspension across 25 microm air gaps microfabricated on these surfaces. The LPNE synthesis of lithographically patterned PbTe nanowires was carried out in unfiltered laboratory air. Nanowires with lengths of 70-100 microm showed an electrical resistivity comparable to bulk PbTe. XPS reveals that exposure of PbTe nanowires to air causes the formation on the nanowire surface of approximately one monolayer of a mixed lead oxide and tellurium oxide within a few minutes.     

Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of BiOCl nanowire arrays

Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) nanowire arrays have been successfully prepared employing the Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) template assisted sol-gel method. Nanowires of 100 nm diameter and length 2-6 μm, assembled in the porous of AAO templates, were formed. XRD and HRTEM results show that the nanowires are pure BiOCl polycrystal phase without Bi₂O₃ or BiCl₃. The photocatalytic activity of BiOCl nanowire arrays was investigated by the degradation of Rhodamine B dye solution under UV irradiation.     

铁纳米线阵列的制备及磁性质

使用电化学沉积方法，在有序的氧化铝模板（AAO）孔洞中制备了铁纳米线有序阵列．用X射线衍射仪（XRD）、场发射扫描电子显微镜（FE-SEM）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、对样品的结构、形貌、进行表征和观测．XRD的结果表明所制备的样品为纯的立方面心铁．SEM的图片清晰地说明铁纳米线阵列是大面积、高填充率和高度有序的．TEM的结果显示纳米线直径均匀、表面光滑且长径比大．磁测量的结果表明纳米线阵列的易磁化轴是垂直于模板表面的。     

图案化金属铜纳米线阵列的制备与表征

采用紫外线光刻技术与电化学沉积相结合的方法,成功制备了不同图案的铜纳米线阵列:一种是圆形图案;另一种是QDU图案.首先利用紫外线光刻技术在多孔阳极氧化铝模板(AAO)生成预设图案,以此作为"二次模板";再利用电化学方法将铜纳米线沉积到"二次模板"的开孔中.扫描电镜(SEM)测试结果表明,大面积、高规整的铜纳米线图案阵列各自独立地立在基底上, 同时,用电子能谱(EDS)分析了铜纳米线的化学成分.透射电镜(TEM)也探测到了铜纳米线的微结构.     

Synthesis of single crystal metal sulfide nanowires and nanowire arrays by chemical precipitation in templates

Single crystal metal sulfide nanowires and nanowire arrays were synthesized by chemical precipitation reaction in the channels of anodic aluminum oxide templates under ambient conditions with simple inorganic salts as precursors. Aligned metal sulfide arrays were achieved by dissolving the template. This template-directed synthesis yielded well-defined nanowires of varied lengths and diameters for almost all precursors. The crystal quality of metal sulfide nanowires was concentration-dependent, high single crystal nanowires were achieved at low concentrations.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of single crystalline zigzag SnO2 nanobelts

Freestanding single crystalline zigzag SnO2 nanobelts have been synthesized by a simple thermal evaporation on an iron cylindrical sharp substrate. The heating temperature and Ar gas flow rate are two key points to control the morphology of the nanobelts. The morphology and the microstructure of the nanobelts have been characterized with a number of microscopic techniques. Crystallographic analyses revealed that the zigzag morphology is formed with alternating growth directions between two energy-equal (101) and (101) planes. Moreover, structural and compositional characterization show that the nanobelts do not grow directly on the iron substrate but on the small crystalline grains deposited on the iron oxide columns, which are ascribed to the oxidation of the iron substrate.     

Synthesis and characterization of single crystalline GdB44Si2 nanostructures

GdB₄₄Si₂ is an excellent thermoelectric material, and nanostructured GdB₄₄Si₂ makes it possible to potentially improve its properties further. GdB₄₄Si₂ nanowires and nanobelts have been fabricated by chemical vapor deposition and characterized by electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy. These nanostructures are of the YB₅₀ structure and grew in the [010] direction. The nanowires have thickness of less than 100 nm and length of several tens of microns. The nanobelts have thickness of about a few tens of nanometers. Morphological and compositional analyses confirmed that the nanowire growth followed the vapor–liquid–solid mechanism and the nanobelts were formed by a subsequent vapor–solid process of condensation.     

Diameter-selected synthesis of single crystalline trigonal selenium nanowires

A low temperature hydrothermal synthesis route has been proposed to the direct production of high purity trigonal selenium nanowires using selenite and thiosulfate salts as starting materials. By choosing different reducing agent, the diameter of the products can be selectively controlled in the range of 10–60 nm. The selenium nanowires synthesized by the present method are free from any catalyst or template, which is beneficial to the future use in related applications.     

Synthesis and strain relaxation of Ge-core/Si-shell nanowire arrays

Analogous to planar heteroepitaxy, misfit dislocation formation and stress-driven surface roughening can relax coherency strains in misfitting core-shell nanowires. The effects of coaxial dimensions on strain relaxation in aligned arrays of Ge-core/Si-shell nanowires are analyzed quantitatively by transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Relating these results to reported continuum elasticity models for coaxial nanowire heterostructures provides valuable insights into the observed interplay of roughening and dislocation-mediated strain relaxation.     

Synthesis and characterization of cadmium telluride nanowire

CdTe nanowires with controlled composition were cathodically electrodeposited using track-etched polycarbonate membrane as scaffolds and their material and electrical properties were systematically investigated. As-deposited CdTe nanowires show nanocrystalline cubic phase structures with grain sizes of up to 60 nm. The dark-field images of nanowires reveal that the crystallinity of nanowires was greatly improved from nanocrystalline to a few single crystals within nanowires upon annealing at 200?°C for 6?h in a reducing environment (5%?H(2)+95%?N(2)). For electrical characterization, a single CdTe nanowire was assembled across microfabricated gold electrodes using the drop-casting method. In addition to an increase in grain size, the electrical resistivity of an annealed single nanowire (a few 10(5)?Ω?cm) was one order of magnitude greater than in an as-deposited nanowire, indicating that crystallinity of nanowires improved and defects within nanowires were reduced during annealing. By controlling the dopants levels (e.g.?Te content of nanowires), the resistivity of nanowires was varied from 10(4) to 10(0)?Ω?cm. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of nanowires indicated the presence of Schottky barriers at both ends of the Au/CdTe interface. Temperature-dependent I-V measurements show that the electron transport mode was determined by a thermally activated component at T>-50?°C and a temperature-independent component below -50?°C. Under optical illumination, the single CdTe nanowire exhibited enhanced conductance.     

Synthesis and characterization of single crystalline PbO nanorods via a facile hydrothermal method

Single crystalline β-PbO nanorods with diameter range from 40 to 120 nm and length up to 500 nm have been synthesized via a facile hydrothermal method in the presence of citrate. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electro-microscope (HRTEM) and SAED were used to characterize the as-obtained samples. An interesting intermediate state of self-assembled β-PbO rod-like nanoparticles was found and the possible formation mechanism of single crystalline β-PbO nanorods was also discussed.     

CoFe2O4纳米线阵列的合成及磁性

利用多孔阳极氧化铝模板和溶胶．凝胶法制备了CoFe2O4纳米线阵列。溶胶是通过真空注入法被填充到模板的纳米孔洞中的，通过高温热处理，形成CoFe2O4纳米线阵列。利用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、X射线衍射仪（XRD）和振动样品磁强计（VSM）对CoFe2O4纳米线阵列的形貌、结构和磁性进行了研究。CoFe2O4纳米线的直径与模板孔径相等．其具有多晶的尖晶石结构。CoFe2O4纳米线阵列未表现磁各向异性，这是由其多晶结构和较大的磁晶各向异性常数决定的．     

Fabrication and characterization of flower-like CuO-ZnO heterostructure nanowire arrays by photochemical deposition

A simple two step solution-based method was applied to fabricate CuO-ZnO heterostructured nanowire (NW) arrays. First, ZnO nanowires were grown on a Si substrate using the ammonia solution hydrothermal reaction. Afterwards, flower-like CuO crystals were photochemically deposited on the tip of the ZnO NWs, using ultraviolet (UV) light (312 nm wavelength) irradiation at room temperature. The morphology of the CuO was controlled by reaction time, density of ZnO NWs, and concentration of the solution. Because the deposited CuO is p-type and has narrow band gap properties, CuO-ZnO heterostructured NWs exhibited a stable p-n junction property and good ability to absorb visible light. Through investigation of UV light-triggered reaction phenomena, we found that the production of OH(-) from the photocatalytic process on the surface of ZnO NWs plays a critical role in the CuO deposition mechanism.     

Synthesis,structural and magnetic characterization of highly ordered single crystalline BiFeO3 nanotubes

In this work, we report on the fabrication of highly ordered single crystalline BiFeO₃ (BFO) nanotubes by a sol–gel technique using two-step anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) as template. We prepared BFO nanotubes with dimensions of 65 nm in diameter and 3 μm in length, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements. The obtained single crystalline nanotubes present the expected pure phase (BiFeO₃) as confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). In addition to the antiferromagnetic behavior, the magnetization curves of the BFO nanotubes also present a ferromagnetic response, which holds from 2 to 300 K. This desirable behavior is associated to the break of the antiferromagnetic helical spin ordering of the BFO nanotubes. Besides the magnetocrystalline anisotropy, the large length-to-diameter ratio induced an uniaxial shape anisotropy, attested by the applied magnetic field angle measurements.     

p-Type ZnO nanowire arrays

Well-aligned ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays with durable and reproducible p-type conductivity were synthesized on alpha-sapphire substrates by using N2O as a dopant source via vapor-liquid-solid growth. The nitrogen-doped ZnO NWs are single-crystalline and grown predominantly along the [110] direction, in contrast to the [001] direction of undoped ZnO NWs. Electrical transport measurements reveal that the nondoped ZnO NWs exhibit n-type conductivity, whereas the nitrogen-doped ZnO NWs show compensated highly resistive n-type and finally p-type conductivity upon increasing N2O ratio in the reaction atmosphere. The electrical properties of p-type ZnO NWs are stable and reproducible with a hole concentration of (1-2) x 10(18) cm(-3) and a field-effect mobility of 10-17 cm2 V(-2) s(-1). Surface adsorptions have a significant effect on the transport properties of NWs. Temperature-dependent PL spectra of N-doped ZnO NWs show acceptor-bound-exciton emission, which corroborates the p-type conductivity. The realization of p-type ZnO NWs with durable and controlled transport properties is important for fabrication of nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices.