Formation and applications of highly-ordered CdO nanobranch arrays

• Ordered CdO nanowire branched arrays were designed and synthesized within a single hierarchical nanostructures.
• Ordered nanowire branched arrays (ONBAs) were fabricated via one-step heating (OSH) gas-phase process.
• CdO ONBAs demonstrated a drastic increase in electrical current and are promising for photodetector applications.

Ordered CdO nanowire branched arrays were designed and synthesized within a single hierarchical nanostructures. Such novel ordered nanowire branched arrays (ONBAs) were fabricated via one-step heating (OSH) gas-phase process and achieved the most uniform CdO nanowire branched arrays ever reported. By varying the mass ratio of CdO and Bi and adjusting the deposition position, the diameters and densities of the nanowires can be precisely controlled. A photodetector composed of CdO ONBAs demonstrated a drastic increase 867% in electrical current. In contrast, the device with a CdO thin film shows only 289% increase in current. These indicate that the CdO ONBAs are promising for photodetector applications.