Deterministic Synthesis of ZnO Nanorods

The deterministic growth of ZnO nanorods using molecular beam epitaxy is reported. The process is catalyst-driven, as single crystal ZnO nanorod growth is realized via nucleation on Ag islands that are distributed on a SiO2-terminated Si substrate surface. Growth occurs at substrate temperatures on the order of 300-500°C. The nanorods exhibit diameters of 15-40 nm and lengths in excess of 1 µm. Nanorod placement can be predefined via location of metal catalyst islands or particles. This, coupled with the relatively low growth temperatures needed, suggests that ZnO nanorods could be integrated on device platforms for numerous applications, including chemical sensors and nanoelectronics.