Preparation of highly ordered ZnO nanowire arrays by paired-cell deposition

Highly ordered ZnO nanowire arrays were fabricated by paired cell method into nanoporous anodic alumina oxide (AAO) template. ZnO nanowires were uniformly assembled into the ordered channels of the AAO template. TEM and selected-area electron diffraction patterns indicated that the ZnO nanowires grow as a single crystal. The factors influencing the final filled density of ZnO nanowires, including the solution concentration and the diffusing temperature are discussed briefly. In addition, the possible mechanism is also proposed to account for the growth of the ZnO nanowires in the AAO template. This result has established that this paired cell method makes it possible to grow single-crystalline ZnO nanowires in the AAO template under appropriate conditions.