Sb-induced bicrystal ZnO nanobelts

Zinc oxide bicrystal nanobelts of wurtzite structure were synthesized by simple thermal evaporation of a powder mixture of Zn and Sb2O3. The bicrystal nanobelts were found to have a growth direction of [(2) over bar 113], widths of 80-200 nm, and lengths up to several hundreds of micrometers. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and high angle annular dark field images showed that antimony was rich in the grain boundary of the bicrystal nanobelts. It was discovered that both sides of the bicrystal nanobelts were O-terminated toward the grain boundary. The mechanism of formation of the bicrystal nanobelts was also discussed. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.