Enhanced local piezoelectric response in the erbium-doped ZnO nanostructures prepared by wet chemical synthesis

Pure and erbium (Er) doped ZnO nanostructures were prepared by simple and cost effective wet chemical precipitation method. The successful doping with phase purity of prepared ZnO nanostructure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and their Rietveld analysis. The change in structural morphology of nanoscale features of prepared ZnO nanopowders on Er doping was observed from their scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The presence of Er in prepared ZnO nanopowder was further confirmed from corresponding energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) spectra of scanned SEM images. Piezoelectric properties of before (green samples) and after sintering of consolidated compact of synthesized nanopowders were successfully measured. The out-of-plane (effective longitudinal) and in-plane (effective shear) coefficients of the samples were estimated from the local piezoresponse.