Periodic Growth of ZnO Nanorod Arrays on Two-Dimensional SiN<i>_x</i> Nanohole Templates by Electrochemical Deposition

Abstract

Precisely positioned and spatially separated ZnO nanorod arrays were fabricated on holographically predefined two-dimensional (2D) SiNx nanohole-array-coated Pt/Si substrates using a simple electrochemical deposition process. The stems of the 2D nanohole-assisted ZnO nanorods had a single-crystal nature and a preferred (002) growth direction but polycrystalline contact with the Pt surface. This approach provides a facile large-scale method for fabricating periodic nanohole-supported ZnO nanorods at low growth temperatures (90 °C). The enhanced UV emission from these nanorods was associated with a lower defect density in the nanohole-templated ZnO nanorods, which was achieved by electrochemical deposition on a 2D nanohole array at a potential of −1.0 V for 30 min.