Semiconducting Nanowires & Nanostructures

The research line Semiconducting Nanowires & Nanostructures aims at developing and exploring the chemical synthesis of spontaneously grown ZnO nanostructures/nanowires by chemical bath deposition (CBD) and metal-organic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD). These methods of chemical synthesis can be coupled with technological processes in a cleanroom environment (i.e. lithography, etching, ...) in the framework of the selective area growth of these objects. We are specifically interested in elucidating and monitoring the nucleation and growth mechanisms of nanostructures/nanowires by coupling an experimental approach to a fundamental approach based on thermodynamic simulations. Our activity is also focused on the determination and control of the basic properties of these objects, such as their intrinsic/extrinsic doping (i.e. H, Al, Ga, Cu, ...), their polarity (O and Zn), as well as the effects related to their surfaces. Semiconducting heterostructures based on ZnO nanowires that are bare or combined with direct band gap semiconductors (Sb₂S₃, SnS, Ga₂O₃…) are being developed for piezoelectric, optoelectronic (i.e. self-powered UV photodetectors, light emitting diodes), and photovoltaic (i.e. extremely thin absorber solar cells) devices.

[1] R. Parize et al. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 121, 9672 (2017)
ZnO/TiO₂/Sb₂S₃ Core–Shell Nanowire Heterostructure for Extremely Thin Absorber Solar Cells

[2] T. Cossuet et al. Advanced Functional Materials 28, 1803142 (2018)
ZnO/CuCrO₂ Core–Shell Nanowire Heterostructures for Self‐Powered UV Photodetectors with Fast Response

[3] J. Villafuerte et al. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 124, 16652 (2020)
Zinc Vacancy-Hydrogen Complexes as Major Defects in ZnO Nanowires Grown by Chemical Bath Deposition

[4] Q.C. Bui et al. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 12, 29583 (2020)
Morphology Transition of ZnO from Thin Films to Nanowires on Silicon and its Correlated Enhanced Zinc Polarity Uniformity and Piezoelectric Response

[5] C. Lausecker et al. Inorganic Chemistry 60, 1612 (2021)
Chemical Bath Deposition of ZnO Nanowires Using Copper Nitrate as an Additive for Compensating Doping