Self-catalytic branch growth of SnO2 nanowire junctions

Multiple branched SnO2 nanowire junctions have been synthesized by thermal evaporation of SnO powder. Their nanostructures were studied by transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microcopy. It was observed that Sn nanoparticles generated from decomposition of the SnO powder acted as self-catalysts to control the SnO2 nanojunction growth. Orthorhombic SnO2 was found as a dominate phase in nanojunction growth instead of rutile structure. The branches and stems of nanojunctions were found to be an epitaxial growth by electron diffraction analysis and high-resolution electron microscopy observation. The growth directions of the branched SnO, nanojunctions were along the orthorhombic [110] and [1 (1) over bar0]. A self-catalytic vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism is proposed to describe the growth process of the branched SnO2 nanowire junctions. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.