A simple method to synthesize single-crystalline Zn₂SnO₄(ZTO) nanowires and their photoluminescence properties

Abstract

Single-crystalline Zn2SnO4 (ZTO) nanowires have been successfully synthesized using a simple thermal evaporation method by heating Zn and Sn powders directly without catalysts under a temperature lower than 800 °C. The synthesized ZTO nanowires are ribbon-like, and have an average width of 100–200 nm and thickness of 50 nm. These nanowires are ultra-long, up to 0.5–1 mm. Further analyses indicate that the synthesized products are ZTO nanowires with a fairly high purity. These nanowires are highly single crystalline in the face-centred-cubic spinel structure, and grow along the direction. It is believed that the growth process of the nanowires follows a vapour–solid mechanism. Photoluminescence properties of the nanowires were measured, showing two green peaks at 529 and 544 nm and two yellow–orange emission peaks at 572 and 613 nm, which have not been reported before, besides the known blue–green peak (485 nm).