Growth and luminescence of oriented nanoplate arrays in tin doped ZnO

Abstract

Sintering of a ZnO-SnO_2 mixture under argon flow leads to the growth of microrods on the sample surface, which are formed by oriented stacks of nanoplates. Energy dispersive spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence ( CL) in the scanning electron microscope show that the stacks of nanoplates consist of Sn doped ZnO. The stacks of nanoplates have well defined orientations relative to the growth axis of the rod. The formation of the nanoplates, which is not observed when undoped ZnO is used in the same process, is attributed to the stresses generated by the presence of Sn atoms in the rods.