Sn3O4 single crystal nanobelts grown by carbothermal reduction process

This article reports on the growth of single crystal Sn3O4 nanobelts and SnO by a carbothermal reduction process in two different regions of a furnace tube. Even though intermediate tin oxide compounds (Sn3O4) have been observed experimentally, the study of structures based on them is a challenging task. Characterization data allowed us to propose that Sn3O4 nanobelts grew by vapor–solid mechanism while SnO grew by self-catalyst vapor–liquid–solid mechanism. Electrical measurements of a single Sn3O4 nanobelt were performed at different temperatures, revealing undoped semiconductor characteristics.