Abstract :
A simple and reliable method has been developed for synthesizing finely patterned tin dioxide (SnO2) nanostructure arrays on silicon substrates.
A patterned Au catalyst film was prepared on the silicon wafer by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering and photolithographic patterning
processes. The patterned SnO2 nanostructures arrays, a unit area is of 500 mm 200 mm, were synthesized via vapor phase transport method.
The surface morphology and composition of the as-synthesized SnO2 nanostructures were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy
(SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The mechanism of formation of SnO2 nanostructures was also discussed. The measurement of field emission
(FE) revealed that the as-synthesized SnO2 nanorods, nanowires and nanoparticles arrays have a lower turn-on field of 2.6, 3.2 and 3.9 V/mm,
respectively, at the current density of 0.1 mA/cm2. This approach must have a wide variety of applications such as fabrications of micro-optical
components and micropatterned oxide thin films used in FE-based flat panel displays, sensor arrays and so on
