Parametric study of self-forming ZnO Nanowall network with honeycomb structure by Pulsed Laser Deposition

•ZnO Nanowall network with honeycomb structure grown by PLD.•No metal catalyst and no chemical etching.•ZnO Nanowall can be grown on different types of substrates.•Low oxygen pressure and high quality 2D nanostructures were grown.•They exhibit a non-uniform size high quality honeycomb structure with low deep level defects. The successful synthesis of catalyst free zinc oxide (ZnO) Nanowall networks with honeycomb like structure by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) is demonstrated in this paper. The synthesis was conducted directly on Silicon (Si) (100) and Glass–ITO substrates without the intermediate of metal catalyst, template or chemical etching. Kinetic of growth and effects of gas pressure and substrate temperature were studied by depositing ZnO films on P type Si (100) substrates with different deposition parameters. The optimized growth parameters were found as: 10mTorr oxygen pressure, 600°C substrate temperature, and deposition duration equal or higher than 10min. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Photoluminescence (PL) measurements were used to investigate structural, microstructural and optical properties of ZnO Nanowall networks produced. They exhibit a non-uniform size high quality honeycomb structure with low deep level defects.