S-induced modifications of the optoelectronic properties of ZnO mesoporous nanobelts.
The synthesis of ZnO porous nanobelts with high surface-to-volume ratio is envisaged to enhance the zinc oxide sensing and photocatalytic properties. Yet, controlled stoichiometry, doping and compensation of as-grown n-type behavior remain open problems for this compound. Here, we demonstrate the effect of residual sulfur atoms on the optical properties of ZnO highly porous, albeit purely wurtzite, nanobelts synthesized by solvothermal decomposition of ZnS hybrids. By means of combined cathodoluminescence analyses and density functional theory calculations, we attribute a feature appearing at 2.36 eV in the optical emission spectra to sulfur related intra-gap states. A comparison of different sulfur configurations in the ZnO matrix demonstrates the complex compensating effect on the electronic properties of the system induced by S-inclusion.
CNR-IMEM, Parco Area delle Scienze 37a, I-43124 Parma, Italy.|KET Lab, c/o Italian Space Agency via del Politecnico, 00133 Roma, Italy.
Filippo
F
Fabbri
CNR-IMEM, Parco Area delle Scienze 37a, I-43124 Parma, Italy.
Lucia
L
Nasi
CNR-IMEM, Parco Area delle Scienze 37a, I-43124 Parma, Italy.
Paolo
P
Fedeli
CNR-IMEM, Parco Area delle Scienze 37a, I-43124 Parma, Italy.
Patrizia
P
Ferro
CNR-IMEM, Parco Area delle Scienze 37a, I-43124 Parma, Italy.
Giancarlo
G
Salviati
CNR-IMEM, Parco Area delle Scienze 37a, I-43124 Parma, Italy.
Roberto
R
Mosca
CNR-NANO, Istituto Nanoscienze, Centro S3, 41125 Modena, Italy.
Arrigo
A
Calzolari
CNR-IMEM, Parco Area delle Scienze 37a, I-43124 Parma, Italy.|CNR-NANO, Istituto Nanoscienze, Centro S3, 41125 Modena, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Catellani