Effects of TiOx seeding layer upon the growth and light emission properties of ZnO nanowires

► Vertical ZnO NWs arrays were prepared on TiOx seed layers via hydrothermal method. ► TiOx seeds layers can improve the crystallinity and orientation of ZnO NWs arrays. ► The photoluminescence spectra of ZnO NWs grown on the 1nm TiOx seed layer exhibit enhanced UV emission. ► The visible emissions are also enhanced, due to the TiOx having great number of structural defects. Oriented ZnO nanowire (NW) arrays were fabricated via hydrothermal method using TiOx films as the seeding layer. Structural and morphological analysis indicates that the TiOx seeding layer can greatly improve the crystallinity and alignments of ZnO NWs. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO NWs grown on the 1nm TiOx seed layer exhibit enhanced UV emission. Improved growth of ZnO NWs on TiOx seed layer may facilitate the fabrication of high performance dye sensitized solar cell devices.