Optoelectronic
Properties of Single-Crystalline Zn<sub>2</sub>GeO<sub>4</sub> Nanowires
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Abstract
In
this work, Zn<sub>2</sub>GeO<sub>4</sub> nanowires (NWs) were
successfully synthesized on Si(100) substrates through carbon thermal
reduction and a vapor–liquid–solid method. The NWs were
of around 100 nm diameter and high aspect ratio (AR > 150). High-resolution
transmission electron microscopy studies indicate that the NWs are
single-crystalline with [110] growth direction. Moreover, the atomic
resolution high-angle annular dark-field and bright-field images of
scanning transmission electron microscopy have distinguished the different
elements. They also further identified the structure of Zn<sub>2</sub>GeO<sub>4</sub> and located the positions of the elements. Additionally,
we have fabricated devices and measured the electrical properties
of a single NW. It is remarkable that individual Zn<sub>2</sub>GeO<sub>4</sub> NW devices exhibited excellent optoelectronic properties
with fast switching speed under 254 nm UV illuminations. Furthermore,
with short wavelength UV illumination, as we soaked Zn<sub>2</sub>GeO<sub>4</sub> NWs in methyl orange solution, the methyl orange
was degraded. Therefore, Zn<sub>2</sub>GeO<sub>4</sub> NWs have potential
applications in UV photodetectors and degradation of organic pollutants