The synthesis and optical characterization of well aligned ZnO nanorods using seed layer of Mn3O4 nanoparticles

In this study, vertically aligned ZnO nanorods were fabricated by hydrothermal growth method using manganese oxide Mn3O4 nanoparticles as a seed layer. X-ray diffraction and Raman studies have shown the nano meter size of Mn3O4 nanoparticles. ZnO nanorods were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. The prepared ZnO nanorods are highly dense, uniform and verily aligned and possess good crystal quality. Photoluminescence analysis has demonstrated that the ZnO nanorods exhibit deep level emission in green region due to oxygen vacancy related emission and the orange/red region is resulted due to interstitial oxygen defects related emission. This method for the fabrication of well aligned ZnO nanorods can be adapted for the development of optoelectronic devices.