Growth of Magneto-optically Active (Zn,Mn)Se Nanowires

We describe the growth of Zn1−xMnxSe nanowires in ultrahigh vacuum seeded by Au nanodroplets. Electron microscopy reveals the formation of single-crystal c-axis wurtzite nanowires (typically 1−3 μm long) with Mn concentrations up to x ≈ 0.6, accompanied by a dense horizontal undergrowth of shorter, crooked nanowires. Magnetophotoluminescence measurements show evidence for sp−d exchange effects in a reduced symmetry environment. We find that the optical emission is surprisingly dominated by the undergrowth of crooked nanowires.