Influence of Sb as a catalyst in the growth of ZnO nano wires and nano sheets using Nanoparticle Assisted Pulsed Laser Deposition (NAPLD)

► Influence of Sb as a catalyst in synthesis of ZnO nanowires and nanosheets using NAPLD is proposed and demonstrated. ► Sb-catalyzed ZnO nanowires and nanosheets were synthesized at different temperature conditions. ► The nano wires possess a strong green emission in PL spectrum, with oxygen vacancy, confirmed though Raman spectroscopy. ► The nanosheets possess a strong UV emission with no oxygen vacancy confirming the diffusion of Sb in ZnO lattice. The methodology on the synthesis of Sb-doped ZnO nanostructures by considering dopant as a catalyst is proposed and demonstrated. The nanostructures were synthesized using intrinsic ZnO as target and Sb-coated Si as substrate, where Sb simultaneously acts as dopant and the catalyst. The catalyst Sb is highly sensitive to temperature conditions resulted in two different nanostructures, the nanowires and the nanosheets. The surface, structural and optical characteristics of the nanowires and the nanosheets are comparatively investigated through SEM, EDX, XRD, Raman spectroscopy and photo luminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The nanowires showed a strong green emission in the PL spectrum and the presence of oxygen vacancies is confirmed thorough Raman peak shift at 556 cm −1. In the case of nanosheets, the defect in oxygen vacancies is completely reduced, and improved UV emission is observed, which confirms the diffusion of Sb in the ZnO lattice.