Growth and characterization of ZnO needles

ZnO needles were synthesized by vapor-phase transport method, and the microstructure and room temperature photoluminescence properties were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and UV microlaser Raman spectrometer. The SEM image indicated that the products prepared had tetrapod-like structures. The results of FT-IR and XRD revealed that they were single crystalline with the hexagonal wurtzite structure. The TEM and high-resolution TEM images indicated that ZnO needles were single crystalline and grew along the direction of (001). The room temperature photoluminescence spectra of the products exhibited a strong ultraviolet emission band at 375 nm and very broad weak green luminescence band at 510 nm.