Three-dimensional structure of helical and zigzagged nanowires using electron tomography.

Electron tomography and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the unique three-dimensional structures of helical or zigzagged GaN, ZnGa2O4, and Zn2SnO4 nanowires. The GaN nanowires adopt a helical structure that consists of six equivalent 〈0111〉 growth directions with the axial [0001] direction. We also confirmed that the ZnGa2O4 nanosprings have four equivalent 〈011〉 growth directions with the [001] axial direction. The zigzagged Zn2SnO4 nanowires consisted of linked rhombohedrons having the side edges matched to the 〈110〉 direction and the [111] axial direction