Nanorod assisted lateral epitaxial overgrowth of ZnO films in water at 90 °C

A novel method was used to grow epitaxial ZnO films by employing a nanorod assisted lateral epitaxial overgrowth process at a low growth temperature of 90 °C in water utilizing a continuous circulation reactor. The relatively smooth films had an epitaxial relationship with the sapphire substrate, as confirmed by off-axis scans. Films grown for 72 hours had a high carrier concentration of 3.12 × 10 18 cm −3 and mobility of 9.75 cm 2 V −1 s −1 after thermal treatment at 300 °C. The threading dislocation density of the thickest film was 5 × 10 8 cm −2 , 2 orders of magnitude lower than that of normal solution grown ZnO films. Reduction of dislocation density to 5 × 10 8 cm −2 by lateral overgrowth of epitaxial ZnO nanorods on sapphire at 90 °C in water.