Influence of the formation of the second phase in ZnOGa nanowire systems

This investigation describes the synthesis and formation of the second phase of high-density arrays of vertically aligned ZnO:Ga nanowires on ZnO/glass substrates at 600°C. As the concentration of the Ga is increased, the nanowire became shorter without any change in its diameter. The formation of the second phase, ZnGa2 O4 (JCPDS no. 38-1240), was verified by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution lattice imagery, even though the concentration of the Ga was only 3.5 atom %. The formation of the second compound substantially influenced the physical properties of the nanowire.