Study on the Effect of Ar Ion Beam Bombardment on ZnO Nanowires

High energy Argon (Ar) ion beam has been used to fire on the ZnO nanowires (NWs) on quartz substrate. ZnO NWs were found to have liquefied from the tips of the NWs to form circular tips from the original sharp ends after single shots of Ar beam. The irreversible re-solidification of the liquid melt of NWs was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Firing of Ar beams for 1, 5 and 10 shots have been done on different samples to study the effect of single and continuously multiple Ar ion beams bombardment on the ZnO NWs. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Photoluminescence (PL) for the post-treated samples have been studied in order to understand the liquefaction and re-solidification process of the ZnO NWs caused by Ar beam bombardment. The bombardment by this high energy Ar ion beam may possibly provide some information about the melting process due to thermal effect. These may also indirectly provide information for understanding of the growth of ZnO NWs.