Synthesis and properties of Pr3+-doped ZnO nanowires

Abstract

Well-aligned Pr³⁺-doped ZnO nanowires (NWs) were obtained by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method without catalysts on silicon substrates by vapor-solid process. The length and diameter of ZnO NWs were 1–2 μm and 50–100 nm, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to characterize the obtained Pr³⁺-doped ZnO nanowires. The concentration of dopant in the synthesized nanowires was 0.7 at %, according to EDX measurements. XPS was also used to characterize the samples and to confirm their composition. Pr³⁺-doped ZnO sensors were fabricated using a focused ion beam (FIB) with Au/Ti electrodes. A nanosensor is invented from an individual zinc oxide nanowire (80 nm in diameter). Response characteristics of the single nanowire towards dinitrogen monoxide (N₂O), hydrogen (H₂), ammonia (NH₃) were examined at room temperature at different concentrations of gases.