Papers by Author: Xiu Lan Hu

Abstract: Anhydrous zinc acetate pre-coated on the FTO substrate was served as a template layer, and ZnO nanowhisker arrays were simply and successfully fabricated by its forced-hydrolysis-initiated-nucleation of the layer in an aqueous solution at low temperature below 100 °C. The technique doesn’t need any expensive metal catalyst and high-temperature treatment. The density, diameter and length of whiskers were controllable by changing the deposition time. As-grown ZnO nanoarrays showed photo-induced electrical property. Enhanced photo-induced current (2.0~3.0  10-5 A) was detected under laser irradiation after DNA molecules labeled with dye molecules were loaded on the ZnO nanowhisker arrays.

Abstract: Length-tailored, monodisperse, highly orientated, single-crystalline hexagonal and aligned ZnO nanowhiskers were grown onto F-doped SnO2 conductive glass (FTO) substrate at 88 °C using an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution for growth of ZnO nanowhiskers included zinc nitrate hexahydrate, hexamethylenetetramine and polyethylenimine. The addition of branched polyethylenimine, which may be adsorbed on the nonpolar surface of ZnO crystals, improved the growth of ZnO nanowhiskers along the c-axis.

Abstract: Highly conductive and well-aligned ZnO nanowhisker films which can be used to optoelectronic devices have been fabricated on conductive F-doped SnO2 coated glass substrates using aqueous solutions with the addition of polyethylenimine at a lower temperature. ZnO nanowhiskers with well crystalline and hexagonal morphology were grown with high orientation along the c-axis. The electrical properties were investigated by a low intensity red laser irradiation (6 mW), after DNA molecules labeled with dye molecules were absorbed on the nanowhiskers. Enhanced photocurrent was detected.