Infiltration of CdTe nano crystals into a ZnO wire vertical matrix by using the isothermal closed space technique

•A technic for embedded a ZnO nanorods matrix with CdTe nanocystals.•A very small size of CdTe nanocrystal obtained by vapor deposition.•Energy confinement effects observed in photoluminiscense spectra. A ZnO nanorod structure was grown by the hydrothermal method and interpenetrated with CdTe using the isothermal closed space sublimation technique. The obtained structure was studied by using the Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM). The X-ray Diffraction (XRD) technique confirmed the presence of CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) of very small size formed on the surface and in the interspaces between the ZnO nanorods. The RBS observations together with the SEM observations give information on the obtained structure. Finally the photoluminescence studies show a strong energy confinement effect on the grown CdTe NCs.