Thickness variations and absence of lateral compositional fluctuations in aberration-corrected STEM images of InGaN LED active regions at low dose.

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy images of the In(0.15)Ga(0.85)N active region of a blue light-emitting diode, acquired at ~0.1% of the electron dose known to cause electron beam damage, show no lateral compositional fluctuations, but do exhibit one to four atomic plane steps in the active layer's upper boundary. The area imaged was measured to be 2.9 nm thick using position averaged convergent beam electron diffraction, ensuring the sample was thin enough to capture compositional variation if it was present. A focused ion beam prepared sample with a very large thin area provides the possibility to directly observe large fluctuations in the active layer thickness that constrict the active layer at an average lateral length scale of 430 nm.

Cl-doped ZnO nanowires with metallic conductivity and their application for high-performance photoelectrochemical electrodes.

Doping semiconductor nanowires (NWs) for altering their electrical and optical properties is a critical strategy for tailoring the performance of nanodevices. ZnO NWs grown by hydrothermal method are pervasively used in optoelectronic, photovoltaic, and piezoelectric energy-harvesting devices. We synthesized in situ Cl-doped ZnO NWs with metallic conductivity that would fit seamlessly with these devices and improve their performance. Possible Cl doping mechanisms were discussed. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy confirmed the visible light transparency of Cl-doped ZnO NWs. Cl-doped ZnO NW/TiO2 core/shell-structured photoelectrochemical (PEC) anode was fabricated to demonstrate the application potential of highly conductive ZnO NWs. Higher photocurrent density and overall PEC efficiency compared with the undoped ZnO NW-based device were achieved. The successful doping and low resistivity of ZnO could unlock the potential of ZnO NWs for applications in low-cost flexible transparent electrodes.

Dislocation-driven nanowire growth and Eshelby twist.

Hierarchical nanostructures of lead sulfide nanowires resembling pine trees were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition. Structural characterization revealed a screwlike dislocation in the nanowire trunks with helically rotating epitaxial branch nanowires. It is suggested that the screw component of an axial dislocation provides the self-perpetuating steps to enable one-dimensional crystal growth, in contrast to mechanisms that require metal catalysts. The rotating trunks and branches are the consequence of the Eshelby twist of screw dislocations with a dislocation Burgers vector along the 110 directions having an estimated magnitude of 6 +/- 2 angstroms for the screw component. The results confirm the Eshelby theory of dislocations, and the proposed nanowire growth mechanism could be general to many materials.