title: Size- and morphology-dependent optical properties of ZnS:Al one-dimensional structures.
abstract: Typical morphology substrates can improve the efficiency of surface-enhanced Raman scattering; the need for SERS substrates of controlled morphology requires an extensive study. In this paper, one-dimensional ZnS:Al nanostructures with the width of approximately 300 nm and the length of tens um, and micro-scale structures with the width of several um and the length of tens um were synthesized via thermal evaporation on Au-coated silicon substrates and were used to study their size effects on Raman scattering and photoluminescent spectra. The photoluminescence spectra reveal the strongest green emission at a 5 at% Al source, which originates from the Al-dopant emission. The Raman spectra reveal that the size and morphology of the ZnS:Al nanowires greatly influences the Raman scattering, whereas the Al-dopant concentration has a lesser effect on the Raman scattering. The observed Raman scattering intensity of the saw-like ZnS:Al nanowires with the width of tens nm was eight times larger than that of the bulk sample. The enhanced Raman scattering can be regarded as multiple scattering and weak exciton-phonon coupling. The branched one-dimensional nanostructure can be used as an ideal substrate to enhance Raman scattering.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics Science and Technology & Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xianghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: School of Physics Science and Technology & Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shunjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: School of Physics Science and Technology & Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jieya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: School of Physics Science and Technology & Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hongfei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Physics Science and Technology & Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: School of Physics Science and Technology & Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: School of Physics Science and Technology & Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: School of Physics Science and Technology & Institute of Optoelectronic Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225002 People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Al-doped ZnS; Morphology; PL spectra; Surface-enhanced Raman scattering