Novel nanostructures of ZnO for nanoscale photonics, optoelectronics, piezoelectricity, and sensing

Wurtzite-structured semiconductors such as ZnO, GaN, AlN, CdSe and ZnS are important materials for nanoscale devices. Zinc oxide, for example, is a unique material that exhibits semiconducting, piezoelectric, and pyroelectric properties. Using a solid-vapor phase thermal sublimation technique, nanocombs, nanorings, nanohelixes/nanosprings, nanobows, nanobelts, nanowires, and nanocages of ZnO have been grown under specific growth conditions. This paper is about the synthesis, structure, growth mechanisms, and potential applications of these nanostructures in optoelectronics, sensors, transducers, and biomedical science.