Unconventional ribbon-shaped beta-Ga2O3 tubes with mobile Sn nanowire fillings.

We report on the synthesis of novel, unconventional beta-Ga(2)O(3) tubes via a Sn nanowire template process using thermal decomposition and oxidation of SnO and GaN powder mixtures. Distinctly different from any previously reported nano- and microtubes, the present beta-Ga(2)O(3) tubes display a flattened and thin belt-like (or ribbon-like) morphology. Each ribbon-shaped tube has a width of approximately 1-2 microm over its entire length, a length in the range of tens of micrometers, a thickness of approximately 100-150 nm, and a uniform inner diameter of 30-120 nm. The tubes were either partially or completely filled with Sn nanowires, forming Sn/Ga(2)O(3) metal-semiconductor nanowire heterostructures. A convergent electron beam generated in a transmission electron microscope is demonstrated to be an effective tool for delicate manipulation of encapsulated Sn nanowires. The Sn nanowires were gently cut apart (into two discrete fragments) and then completely separated and rejoined within Ga(2)O(3) ribbon-shaped tubes. These unconventional beta-Ga(2)O(3) tubes not only should enrich the well-established bank of nanostructured morphologies and extend the understanding of crystal growth at the nanoscale but also may have promise for the design of electron-beam-irradiation- or thermo-driven electrical switches.

[1]  Junqing Hu,et al.  Uniform and high-quality submicrometer tubes of GaS layered crystals , 2005 .

[2]  Junqing Hu,et al.  Single-crystalline nanotubes of IIB-VI semiconductors , 2005 .

[3]  Junqing Hu,et al.  Single‐Crystalline, Submicrometer‐Sized ZnSe Tubes , 2005 .

[4]  Shui-Tong Lee,et al.  Temperature-dependent growth of germanium oxide and silicon oxide based nanostructures, aligned silicon oxide nanowire assemblies, and silicon oxide microtubes. , 2005, Small.

[5]  Junqing Hu,et al.  Sn-filled single-crystalline wurtzite-type ZnS nanotubes. , 2004, Angewandte Chemie.

[6]  Zhong Lin Wang,et al.  Structure Analysis of Nanowires and Nanobelts by Transmission Electron Microscopy , 2004 .

[7]  Takeshi Yokota,et al.  In situ transmission-electron-microscopy investigation of melting in submicron Al-Si alloy particles under electron-beam irradiation. , 2003, Physical review letters.

[8]  Junqing Hu,et al.  Gallium nitride nanotubes by the conversion of gallium oxide nanotubes. , 2003, Angewandte Chemie.

[9]  Heon-Jin Choi,et al.  Single-crystal gallium nitride nanotubes , 2003, Nature.

[10]  Zu Rong Dai,et al.  Novel Nanostructures of Functional Oxides Synthesized by Thermal Evaporation , 2003 .

[11]  Y. Qian,et al.  CONTROLLED HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS OF THIN SINGLE-CRYSTAL TELLURIUM NANOBELTS AND NANOTUBES , 2002 .

[12]  Shashank Sharma,et al.  Direct synthesis of gallium oxide tubes, nanowires, and nanopaintbrushes. , 2002, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[13]  Shui-Tong Lee,et al.  Large-Scale Rapid Oxidation Synthesis of SnO2 Nanoribbons. , 2002 .

[14]  Z. Wang,et al.  Gallium Oxide Nanoribbons and Nanosheets. , 2002 .

[15]  Zu Rong Dai,et al.  Molten gallium as a catalyst for the large-scale growth of highly aligned silica nanowires. , 2002, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[16]  E. Samulski,et al.  Fabrication and characterization of nanotubular semiconductor oxides In2O3 and Ga2O3 , 2001 .

[17]  O. Schmidt,et al.  Nanotechnology: Thin solid films roll up into nanotubes , 2001, Nature.

[18]  M. Nath,et al.  Simple Synthesis of MoS2 and WS2 Nanotubes , 2001 .

[19]  Xiaolong Chen,et al.  Synthesis of β-Ga2O3 nanorods , 2000 .

[20]  Young Hee Lee,et al.  Catalytic Growth of β-Ga2O3 Nanowires by Arc Discharge. , 2000 .

[21]  G. Simkovich,et al.  Rapid oxidation of liquid tin and its alloys at 600 to 800°C , 1999 .

[22]  C. Dekker.  Carbon nanotubes as molecular quantum wires , 1999 .

[23]  R. Tenne,et al.  Nanoparticles of Layered Compounds with Hollow Cage Structures (Inorganic Fullerene‐Like Structures) , 1999 .

[24]  Didier Gourier,et al.  ORIGIN OF THE BLUE LUMINESCENCE OF β-Ga2O3 , 1998 .

[25]  M. Terrones,et al.  Electrochemical formation of novel nanowires and their dynamic effects , 1998 .

[26]  P. Hoyer,et al.  Formation of a Titanium Dioxide Nanotube Array , 1996 .

[27]  P. Ajayan,et al.  Carbon nanotubes as removable templates for metal oxide nanocomposites and nanostructures , 1995, Nature.

[28]  Charles R. Martin,et al.  Nanomaterials: A Membrane-Based Synthetic Approach , 1994, Science.

[29]  R. Tenne,et al.  Polyhedral and cylindrical structures of tungsten disulphide , 1992, Nature.

[30]  J. Borel.  Thermodynamical size effect and the structure of metallic clusters , 1981 .

[31]  A. Howie,et al.  Electron Microscopy of Thin Crystals , 1977, Nature.

[32]  P. Buffat,et al.  Size effect on the melting temperature of gold particles , 1976 .

[33]  F. Rosei,et al.  Silicon nanotubes. , 2006, Small.

[34]  Junqing Hu,et al.  Synthesis of crystalline silicon tubular nanostructures with ZnS nanowires as removable templates. , 2004, Angewandte Chemie.

[35]  Shui-Tong Lee,et al.  Thermal Reduction Route to the Fabrication of Coaxial Zn/ZnO Nanocables and ZnO Nanotubes , 2003 .

[36]  Ze Zhang,et al.  Synthesis of beta-Ga2O3 nanorods , 2000 .

[37]  W. M. Haynes.  CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics , 1990 .