Growth and device application of zinc oxide nanostructures

Wide band gap metal oxides exhibit inherent properties such as large energy band gap, high electron mobility, and high breakdown field strength, which therefore make them suitable for high power and high temperature electronic devices as well as short wavelength optoelectronics. Among them, zinc oxide (ZnO) features many promising properties for blue/UV optoelectronics, transparent electronics, spintronic devices, flat-panel displays, solar cells, and sensor applications. Therefore, ZnO has attracted substantial research interest and effort as a multifunctional oxide semiconductor. However, the p-type doping and controlled growth of ZnO nanostructures remain the main bottlenecks for ZnO to be widely applied in various electronic and optoelectronic devices, including transparent conductors, ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs), chemical and biochemical sensing, field emitting devices, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and host for diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMSs).Doctor of Philosophy (EEE