Thin SnO2 nanowires produced with a varying oxygen gas flow ratio and their structural, Raman, and electronic properties

Abstract

We have investigated the effects of the oxygen gas flow ratio in a synthesis process, ultimately producing thin (similar to 40 nm in diameter) SnO2 nanowires. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the oxygen partial pressure affected the diameter as well as the length of the nanowires. An X-ray diffraction investigation suggested that the grain size of the SnO2 phase was slightly increased with a decrease in the oxygen partial pressure. Lattice-resolved transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, selected area electron diffraction, and micro-Raman spectroscopy coincidentally showed that the as-synthesized nanowires comprised a tetragonal SnO2 phase. Based on the analysis by fabricating field effect transistors, we found that the transport properties of SnO2 nanowires exhibited an n-type semiconductor characteristic.