Size-tunable synthesis of tetrapod-like ZnS nanopods by seed-epitaxial metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Single-crystalline tetrapod-like ZnS nanopods were synthesized by a one-step seed-epitaxial metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) approach using cubic CdSe nanocrystals as the seeds. The diameters of the ZnS tetrapods can be easily tuned by changing the distances between the substrates and precursors. A possible growth mechanism is discussed on the basis of the heterostructure epitaxial growth. The ZnS tetrapod has a zinc CdSe nanocrystal core at the center with four wurtzite ZnS arms growing out from the core along four [0001] directions. Due to the lower temperature and versatility, this controllable seed-epitaxial method has potential as a general means of forming complex branching structures and may also offer opportunities for applications as building blocks for optoelectronic devices.