Synthesis of single-crystalline Bi2O3 nanowires by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition approach

Bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) nanowires have been synthesized on Au-coated Si substrates by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) approach using Bi(S2CNEt2)3 as a precursor in the presence of oxygen. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) show that the Bi2O3 nanowires have a diameter in the range of 50–100 nm and a length of up to tens of microns. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), high-resolution TEM and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) demonstrate that the nanowires are composed of pure tetragonal phase β-Bi2O3 single crystal. The growth of the Bi2O3 nanowires could refer to a vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) mechanism.