Zinc oxide research
Zinc oxide is a II-VI semiconductor
with properties similar to GaN. Like GaN it grows with a hexagonal
crystal structure, displays piezoelectric effects, and has a
band gap in the near UV range (3.4 eV) at room temperature.
ZnO is therefore another candidate for optoelectronic applications
in the short wavelength range (green, blue, UV). In fact, the
high exciton binding energy in ZnO (about 60 meV vs. 25 meV
for GaN) would allow for excitonic transitions even at room
temperature, which could mean a higher radiative recombination
efficiency for spontaneous emission as well as a lower threshold
voltage for laser emission. Research on epitaxial growth of
ZnO has recently made remarkable progress (laser-MBE). We collaborate
closely with
Peidong Yang's group at UC Berkeley's Chemistry Department,
who are growing ZnO nanowires using a vapor phase transport
process.
Related Publications
Room-Temperature Ultraviolet
Nanowire Nanolasers
M.H. Huang, S. Mao, H. Feick, H. Yan, Y. Wu, H. Kind, E. Weber,
R. Russo, P. Yang
Science 292, 1897 (2001).
ONLINE
Catalytic Growth of Zinc
Oxide Nanowires by Vapor Transport
M.H. Huang, Y. Wu, H. Feick, N. Tran, E. Weber, and P. Yang
Adv. Mater. 13, No. 2, 117 (2001).
ONLINE
