Method for controllably growing ZnO Nanowires
AssigneeLightlab Sweden AB
InventorsJonas Tirén, Jan-Otto Carlsson, Helena Tenerz, Patrik Hollman
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method for controllably growing ZnO nanowires, for example to be used in relation to field emission lighting. In particular, the invention relates to a method of controlling thermal oxidation conditions to achieve steady-state conditions between an oxygen consumption rate by a growing oxide on a surface of a structure and the decomposition rate of the oxygen-carrying species within the chamber. The invention also relates to a corresponding field emission cathode.
Claims21
A method for controllably growing zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires on a surface of a structure by means of thermal oxidation, the structure comprising a zinc layer covering at least a portion of the structure, the method comprising:
- arranging the structure within a thermal oxidation chamber, the chamber having a gas inlet and a gas outlet for allowing a gas flow through the chamber;
- providing a gas comprising an oxygen-carrying precursor through the gas inlet of the chamber;
- and
- controlling a concentration of oxygen along the surface of the structure by:
- controlling a temperature within the chamber;
- and
- controlling a gas flow of the gas comprising the oxygen-carrying precursor through the chamber,
- such that steady-state conditions are achieved between an oxygen consumption rate by a growing oxide on the surface of the structure and the decomposition rate of the oxygen-carrying species within the chamber, thereby maintaining the same zinc oxidation conditions along the surface of the structure within the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.