Structural characteristics, low threshold ultraviolet lasing and ultrafast carrier dynamics in high crystalline ZnO nanowire arrays

► Well-aligned ZnO nanowire arrays. ► Ultraviolet lasing emission with low optical excitation threshold. ► UV recombination carrier dynamics investigation by temperature-dependent time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. ► Direct near-band-edge radiative recombination with long lifetime of ∼1 ns.