Indium-doped zinc oxide nanometre thick disks synthesised by a vapour-phase transport process

Indium-doped ZnO nanometre thick disks were successfully fabricated by thermal evaporation of a powder mixture of ZnO, In₂ O₃, and graphite without catalyst. Incorporation of indium metal in the nanodisks during the synthesis was not successful due to the formation of In₂O₃ phase. SEM images show that some ZnO disks have perfect hexagonal shape. These disks are about 1-5 μm in size and 40-100 nm in thickness. X-ray diffraction, Raman, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy observations show that the disks are single crystalline ZnO with wurtzite structure. Effect of indium doping on the structure, morphology, optical absorption, and photoluminescence of the nanodisks are studied.