Growth of SnO2 nanowires by thermal evaporation on Au-coated Si substrates

Tin oxide (SnO2) nanowires have been grown on Au-coated Si substrates via a conventional thermal evaporation route using Sn powder. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy analyses have been performed to investigate the structure and PL properties of the products. The as-synthesized nanostructures have been found to have monocrystalline tetragonal rutile structure. The diameters and the lengths of the SnO2 nanowires are in ranges of 50–550 nm and 200–500 μm, respectively. The PL spectrum of the as-grown SnO2 nanowires exhibited a broad emission band centered at around 595 nm and with a shoulder at around 555 nm in the yellow region. The growth mechanism of SnO2 nanowires by thermal evaporation have also been discussed.