Self-seeded growth and ultraviolet photoresponse properties of ZnO nanowire arrays

The authors report on the self-seeded growth of ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays on glass substrates by a simple solvothermal method using two different sol concentrations for the seed layer formation. The formations of hexagonal-shaped NWs with diameter of 20-60 nm on the seed layer for 0.1M sol and mostly of trapezoidal-shaped NWs with base width of 135 nm on the seed layer for 0.03M sol have been explained considering the longitudinal and transversal growths of ZnO NWs. The photocurrent behavior of ZnO NW arrays in air as well as in vacuum is analyzed in terms of adsorbed oxygen and water molecules. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.