Description:

Integrated nanostructures are of great interest due to a a wide range of possible technological applications in electronics, optics, biomedicine, and mechanics.  Two major fundamental steps in nanotechnological processes are (i) control of nanocrystal structures; and (ii) arrangement of nanostructures within the building blocks of special nanodevices.  Much progress has been made in these areas, but there is no "one" solution yet.

ZnS, a wide-band-gap semiconductor, is a well-known luminescence material having prominent applications in displays, sensors, and lasers.  One-dimensional (1D) ZnS nanostructures, such as nanowires, nanobelts, nanocables, and nanotubes, have recently been synthesized by several groups. The present work developed an effective method for fabricating novel ZnS nanostructures, that is, ZnS-core/carbon-sheath nanocables and nanocable-aligned ZnS tetrapod nanocrystals (single crystalline cubic ZnS with triangular-prism branches stretching out in four {111} directions.) The nanocable-aligned tetrapods and the core-sheath heterostructure have modulated composition, interfaces, and crystal orientations, which may thus induce modulated electronic and optical properties and find applications in nanoelectronics and photonics.

Above are images of nanocable-aligned ZnS tetrapods. (a) Aligned ZnS tetrapods. (b) Nanocable passing through the center of the tetrapod. (c) Tetrapod image viewed along the [111] direction; (d) viewed along the [] direction; (e) viewed along the [100] direction.

 Previous Day/Next Day

Please contact the webmaster if you would like to submit an image