Formation of antireflection Zn/ZnO core-shell nano-pyramidal arrays by O2+ ion bombardment of Zn surfaces

ZnO is probably one of the most studied oxides since ZnO nanostructures are a very rich family of nanomaterials with a broad variety of technological applications. Although several chemical techniques offer the possibility to obtain such ZnO nanostructures, here we show that the controlled modification of the zinc surface by low-energy O-2(+) bombardment leads to the formation of core-shell Zn/ZnO nano-pyramidal arrays that suppress the reflection of light decreasing the reflectivity below 6% in the wavelength range of 300-900 nm. This controlled and scalable protocol opens the door to a broad range of possibilities for the use of ion bombardment to produce surface modifications for technological applications in the field of photoelectric devices and solar cells.