Fabrication, structural characterization, and photoluminescence of Ga-doped ZnO nanobelts

Ga-doped ZnO nanobelts have been fabricated via a carbon thermal reduction deposition approach with the assistance of gold catalyst. The nanobelts consist of single-crystalline wurtzite ZnO crystal with Ga doping content of about 7% and growth along [0001] direction. Raman scattering analysis demonstrates that the appearance of the additional mode at 631 cm−1 is induced by the Ga dopant and the redshift of ZnO Raman E1L mode is attributed to the force constant changes caused by Ga doping. Room temperature photoluminescence reveals the redshift and broadening of ZnO ultraviolet emission peak after Ga doping. These nanobelts were promising building blocks in constructing nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devices.