3D and 2D growth of SnO2 nanostructures on Ga2O3 nanowires: synthesis and structural characterization

Year: 2017

Authors: Alonso-Orts M., Sanchez AM., Lopez I., Nogales E., Piqueras J., Mendez B.

Autors Affiliation: Univ Complutense Madrid, Fac Ciencias Fis, Dept Fis Mat, E-28040 Madrid, Spain; Univ Warwick, Dept Phys, Coventry CV4 7AL, W Midlands, England; INO, Via Carrara 1, I-50019 Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy.

Abstract: In this work, a simple thermal evaporation method has been used to obtain a variety of Ga2O3/SnO2 nano-assemblies with different shapes and dimensionalities, which may affect their physical properties, especially those influenced by surface properties. The obtained nanostructures have been characterized using electron microscopy-related techniques in order to understand their growth mechanisms. By using both metallic gallium and tin oxide powders as precursors, Ga2O3 nanowires (straight or branched) decorated with SnO2 nanoparticles or SnO2 quasi-two dimensional plates have been produced after dynamic thermal annealing for 2.5, 8.0 and 15.0 hours. For shorter treatments, accumulation of Sn atoms at the Ga2O3 nanowire surface or defect planes has been observed by high resolution TEM, which suggests that they could act as nucleation sites for the further growth of SnO2. On the other hand, longer treatments promote the formation of Ga-doped SnO2 belts, from which SnO2 nanowires eventually emerge. High-resolution TEM imaging and microanalysis reveal that Ga accumulation at (200) SnO2 planes could stabilize some non-stoichiometric or intermediate tin oxide phases, such as Sn2O3, at local areas in the belts. The presence of non-stoichiometric tin oxide is relevant in applications, since surface states affect the physical-chemical behavior of tin oxide.

Journal/Review: CRYSTENGCOMM

Volume: 19 (41)      Pages from: 6127  to: 6132

More Information: This work has been supported by MINECO (projects CSD 2009-2013, MAT 2012-31959, and MAT 2015-65274-R-FEDER). We thank Richard Beanland at Warwick University for his advice. M. A.-O. acknowledges financial support from MEC (FPU contract). B. M. acknowledges the mobility grant supported by MEC (PRX14/00134) for sabbatical leave from Warwick University.
KeyWords: Oxide; Luminescence; Morphology
DOI: 10.1039/c7ce01311f

Citations: 5
data from “WEB OF SCIENCE” (of Thomson Reuters) are update at: 2024-11-17
References taken from IsiWeb of Knowledge: (subscribers only)
Connecting to view paper tab on IsiWeb: Click here
Connecting to view citations from IsiWeb: Click here