Ga-catalyzed growth of ZnSe nanowires and the cathodoluminescence and electric transport properties of individual nanowire

► A facile thermal evaporation method was developed to fabricate zinc-blende ZnSe nanowires on GaAs substrates by using Ga as catalyst. ► The Ga catalyst originates from the reduction of the amorphous GaOx layer pre-oxidized on surface of GaAs substrates. ► The CL spectra of an individual nanowire reveal a weak near-band-edge emission centered at 468 nm and a strong deep-level emission at 593 nm. ► The current versus voltage curve remains linear relation even at high applied voltage, indicating that the conventional electric power dissipation cannot affect the electric transport properties of the nanowire.