Planar defects in Sn-doped single-crystal ZnO nanobelts

Sn-doped ZnO nanobelts were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition. These single-crystalline nanobelts with a wurtzite structure grow along the < 0110 > direction. Transmission electron microscopy shows the existerice of planar defects in the middle of each nanobelt, which contains antiphase and inversion boundaries. The appearance of inversion boundaries parallel to the (0001) plane is attributed to the release of structural strains, which result from the introduction of Sn+4 ions. In photoluminescence measurements, a strong ultraviolet peak and a weak visible band were observed at room temperature.