Synthesis and characterization of single crystalline selenium nanowire arrays

Ordered selenium nanowire arrays with diameters about 40 nm have been fabricated by electrodeposition using anodic porous alumina templates. As determined by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra, electron diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selenium nanowires have uniform diameters, which are fully controllable. Single crystalline trigonal selenium nanowires have been obtained after postannealing at 180 °C. These nanowires are perfect with a c-axis growth orientation. The optical absorption spectra reveal two types of electron transition activity.