Hybrid nanostructures of titanium-decorated ZnO nanowires

Hybrid nanostructures of titanium (Ti)-decorated zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire were synthesized. Various thick Ti films (6 nm, 10 nm, and 20 nm) were coated to form a titanium oxide (TiO) coating layer around ZnO nanowires. Transmission electron microscope analysis was performed to verify the crystallinity and phases of the TiO layers according to the Ti-coating thickness. Under UV illumination, a bare ZnO nanowire showed a conventional n-type conducting performances. With a Ti coating on a ZnO nanowire, it was converted to a p-type conductor due to the existence of electron-captured oxygen molecules. It discusses the fabrication of Ti-decorated ZnO nanowires including the working mechanisms with respect to UV light.