Green-light-emitting ZnSe nanowires fabricated via vapor phase growth

Stoichiometric ZnSe nanowires have been synthesized through a vapor phase reaction of zinc and selenium powder on the (100) silicon substrate coated with a gold film of 2 nm in thickness. The microstructures and the chemical compositions of the as-grown nanowires have been investigated by means of electron microscopy, the energy dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The results reveal that the as-grown materials consist of ZnSe nanowires with diameters ranging from 5 to 50 nm. Photoluminescence of the sample demonstrates a strong green emission from room temperature down to 10 K. This is attributed to the recombination of electrons from conduction band to the medium deep Au acceptors. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics