Hydrothermal growth of low-density ZnO microrod arrays on nonseeded FTO substrates

Abstract

Low-density ZnO microrod arrays with a diameter of approximately 1 mm and a space length of approximately 10 mm are prepared on nonseeded fluorine doped tin oxide substrates (FTO) via a low-temperature hydrothermal process. The ZnO microrod possess a well-defined hexagonal prism morphology. It is found that the tin oxide (SnO2) on FTO surface plays a critical role in dictating the initial growth of ZnO microrods. The excellent lattice matching condition between ZnO and SnO2 promotes the epitaxial nucleation of the ZnO microrods on the FTO substrate. The unprecedented low-density ZnO microrod arrays provide an important feature for future electronic devices. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.