Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide-band-gap semiconductor, which has a broad range of applications, e.g., in pigment, rubber additives, gas sensors, varistors and transducers1. It has recently been demonstrated that nanophase zinc oxide can be used in photocells of the Gatzel type2, which results in improved current generation efficiency. The properties of high aspect ratios and small sizes of zinc oxide nanotubules or nanowires are expected to improve the luminescence efficiency of the electro-optical devices and the sensitivity of the chemical sensors3.
Highly ordered poly crystalline Si nanowire arrays were synthesized in porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The morphological structure, the crystal character of Si nanowire arrays and the individual nanowire were analyzed by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atom force microscopy (AFM) and the X-ray diffraction spectrum (XRD), respectively. It is shown that most fabricated silicon nanowires (SiNWs) tend to be assembled parallelly in bundles and constructed with highly orientated arrays. This method provides a simple and low cost fabricating craftwork and the diameters and lengths of SiNWs can be controlled, the large area Si nanowire arrays can be achieved easily under such a way. The curling and twisting SiNWs are fewer than those by other synthesis methods.
The well-aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) arrays with opened ends were prepared in ordered pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. After then, silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were deposited in the hollow cavities of CNTs. By using this method, CNTs/SiNWs core-sheath composite structure arrays were synthesized successfully. Growing structures and physical properties of the CNTs/SiNWs composite structure arrays were analyzed and researched by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction spectrum (XRD), respectively. The field emission (FE) behavior of the CNTs/SiNWs composite structure arrays was studied based on Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism and current-voltage (I-V) curve. And the photoluminescence (PL) was also characterized. Significantly, the CNTs/SiNWs core-sheath composite structure nanowire fabricated by AAO template method is characteristic of a metal/semiconductor (M/S) behavior and can be utilized to synthesize nanoscale PN junction or Schottky diode device. This process also could be useful for the fabrication of SiNWs and other nanoscale core-sheath composite structure nanowires with chemically inert interfaces for nanoscale electronic and device applications where surface oxidation is undesirable. The diameters and lengths of nanoscale composite structure arrays can be dominated easily, and the experimental result shows that the curling and twisting structures are fewer than those prepared by other synthesized methods.
