Aligned arrays of zinc oxide nanorods on silicon substrates

Experimental data on the elemental vapor-phase synthesis of aligned arrays of ZnO nanorods on Si substrates are summarized. A model of the self-catalytic growth of ZnO nanorods via the vapor-liquid-crystal mechanism, in which liquid Zn droplets serve as a catalyst for oriented growth, is presented. The method developed in the study provides a means for the deposition of aligned arrays of ZnO nanorods onto differently oriented Si substrates without the preliminary deposition of a metal catalyst film or a thin layer of ZnO nuclei. The influence of various factors on the growth rate, dimensions, shape, and ordering of ZnO nanorods is considered. The ZnO nanorods produced in the study are high-purity single crystals with a low content of point defects and, thus, are suitable for practical use in optoelectronics as well as in sensor and microsystem technologies.