Synthesis of ternary ZnxCd1 − xS nanowires by thermal evaporation and the study of their photoluminescence

Ternary ZnxCd1 − xS nanowires were synthesized on Au-coated Si (100) substrates by thermal evaporation method. The nanowires obtained under ambient and reduced pressure of ∼ 100 Torr were studied and compared. Both of them were single crystalline wurtzite structured with similar chemical composition. The tip of the nanowires obtained in ambient pressure contained an Au-rich particle, but that obtained under reduced pressure was impurity-free. Hence, both vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) and mixed vapor–solid (VS)–VLS growth mechanisms were proposed for these two types of nanowires. Furthermore, photoluminescence studies revealed that their intrinsic and extrinsic emission bands were within the visible region.