Position-controlled vertical arrays of single-crystalline ZnO nanowires on periodically polarity inverted templates

Position controlled single crystalline ZnO nanowires are grown on periodically polarity-inverted (PPI) ZnO heterostructures without catalyst. PPI ZnO templates were fabricated by using selective growth method of polarity with Cr-compound intermediate layers by plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. In order to control the position, we used the in-plane two-dimensionally discrete PPI ZnO templates. The lateral polarity inversion in PPI template was confirmed by piezo response microscopy. After syntheses of ZnO nanowires, vertically aligned ZnO nanowires were grown only onto the Zn-polar regions without the O-polar regions. The results clearly show that the position control of ZnO nanowires is possible using the PPI ZnO templates. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.