Vapor phase growth and optical properties of single-crystalline SnO2 nanobelts

Mass production of single-crystalline SnO2 nanobelts was successfully achieved through a thermal evaporation of metallic Sn powders at 900 °C. The as-prepared SnO2 nanobelts were typically 30–200 nm in width, 10–50 nm in thickness, and about tens of micrometers in length. In addition to the classical Raman models, two new Raman bands at 498 and 698 cm−1 are observed for rutile-phased SnO2 nanobelts, which can be attributed to the IR-active A2u TO and A2u LO modes, respectively. Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of SnO2 nanobelts featured an emission band at 615 nm (with a small shoulder at 585 nm), which might correspond to the existence of oxygen deficiencies in the produced belts. The formation of SnO2 nanobelts followed a vapor–solid (VS) growth mechanism.