ZnO/Al2O3 core-shell nanorod arrays: Growth, structural characterization, and luminescent property

We reported the aqueous chemical method to fabricate the well-aligned ZnO/Al
₂
O
₃
nanocrystal (NC) core-shell nanorod arrays (NRAs). Structural characterization showed that the shell layers are composed of ¿-Al
₂
O
₃
nanocrystals. Photoluminescence measurements showed the enhancement of near-band-edge (NBE) emission of ZnO NRAs due to the presence of Al
₂
O
₃
NC shells. The Al
₂
O
₃
NC shell layer resulting in flatband effect near ZnO surface leads to a stronger overlap of the wavefunctions of electrons and holes in the ZnO core, further enhancing the NBE emission. This approach should be very useful in designing many other core-shell NRAs for creating varieties of high-efficiency optoelectronic devices.