Electrical properties of ZnO single nanowires

We have investigated the electrical resistance R(T) of ZnO nanowires of approximate to 400 nm diameter as a function of temperature, between 30 K and 300 K, and frequency in the range 40 Hz to 30 MHz. The measurements were done on the as-prepared and after low-energy proton implantation at room temperature. The temperature dependence of the resistance of the wire, before proton implantation, can be well described by two processes in parallel. One process is the fluctuation induced tunneling conductance (FITC) and the other the usual thermally activated process. The existence of a tunneling conductance was also observed in the current-voltage (I-V) results, and can be well described by the FITC model. Impedance spectroscopy measurements in the as-prepared state and at room temperature, indicate and support the idea of two contributions of these two transport processes in the nanowires. Electron backscatter diffraction confirms the existence of different crystalline regions. After the implantation of H+ a third thermally activated process is found that can be explained by taking into account the impurity band splitting due to proton implantation.