VLS synthesis of disordered CdSe nanowires and optical properties of an individual CdSe nanowire

Disordered CdSe nanowires have been successfully grown on silicon substrates by Au-catalyzed vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that the as-prepared products consist of a large quantity of 1D nanowire disordered predominantly perpendicular to the surface of the substrate. A plausible formation mechanism of disordered CdSe nanowires is proposed here. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) confirm on their hexagonal wurtzite crystallite structure. An intense red near-band edge emission (702 nm) is observed based on room temperature photoluminescence measurements of individual nanowire. This kind of CdSe nanostructures may be used in optoelectronics devices in the near future.

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► Disordered CdSe nanowires were grown on Si substrates by vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism.
► Photoluminescence measurements on individual nanowire at room temperature show an intense near-band edge emission (702 nm).
► Disordered CdSe nanowires can be good candidates as red-light nanolasers, light emitting devices.