Tubular micro- and nanostructures of TCO materials grown by a vapor-solid method

Miguel García-Tecedor; Félix del Prado; Carlos Bueno; G. Cristian Vásquez; Javier Bartolomé; David Maestre; Tomás Díaz; Ana Cremades; Javier Piqueras; Miguel García-Tecedor; Félix del Prado; Carlos Bueno; G. Cristian Vásquez; Javier Bartolomé; David Maestre; Tomás Díaz; Ana Cremades; Javier Piqueras

doi:10.3934/matersci.2016.2.434

AIMS Materials Science

2016, Volume 3, Issue 2: 434-447. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2016.2.434

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Tubular micro- and nanostructures of TCO materials grown by a vapor-solid method

1.
Dpto. Física de Materiales, Facultad de CC. Físicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
2.
Centro de Investigación en Dispositivos Semiconductores, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, México

Received: 15 February 2016 Accepted: 20 March 2016 Published: 24 March 2016

Microtubes and rods with nanopipes of transparent conductive oxides (TCO), such as SnO₂, TiO₂, ZnO and In₂O₃, have been fabricated following a vapor-solid method which avoids the use of catalyst or templates. The morphology of the as-grown tubular structures varies as a function of the precursor powder and the parameters employed during the thermal treatments carried out under a controlled argon flow. These materials have been also doped with different elements of technological interest (Cr, Er, Li, Zn, Sn). Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) measurements show that the concentration of the dopants achieved by the vapor-solid method ranges from 0.5 to 3 at.%. Luminescence of the tubes has been analyzed, with special attention paid to the influence of the dopants on their optical properties. In this work, we summarize and discuss some of the processes involved not only in the anisotropic growth of these hollow micro and nanostructures, but also in their doping.
- microtube,
- nanopipe,
- transparent conductive oxide,
- cathodoluminescence
Citation: Miguel García-Tecedor, Félix del Prado, Carlos Bueno, G. Cristian Vásquez, Javier Bartolomé, David Maestre, Tomás Díaz, Ana Cremades, Javier Piqueras. Tubular micro- and nanostructures of TCO materials grown by a vapor-solid method[J]. AIMS Materials Science, 2016, 3(2): 434-447. doi: 10.3934/matersci.2016.2.434

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Abstract

Microtubes and rods with nanopipes of transparent conductive oxides (TCO), such as SnO₂, TiO₂, ZnO and In₂O₃, have been fabricated following a vapor-solid method which avoids the use of catalyst or templates. The morphology of the as-grown tubular structures varies as a function of the precursor powder and the parameters employed during the thermal treatments carried out under a controlled argon flow. These materials have been also doped with different elements of technological interest (Cr, Er, Li, Zn, Sn). Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) measurements show that the concentration of the dopants achieved by the vapor-solid method ranges from 0.5 to 3 at.%. Luminescence of the tubes has been analyzed, with special attention paid to the influence of the dopants on their optical properties. In this work, we summarize and discuss some of the processes involved not only in the anisotropic growth of these hollow micro and nanostructures, but also in their doping.

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