Influence of indium doping on the morphology of ZnS nanostructures grown by a vapor–solid method

Pure and In-doped ZnS structures have been grown using a VS method. Thermal treatments have been performed at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1200 degrees C, during 15 to 17 hours in a N-2 overpressure environment. Nanowires and nanoribbons are the main kind of structures obtained for pure ZnS, depending on the deposition temperature. In the case of ZnS: In, nano-and microswords, nanoribbons, hierarchical structures and nanoplates are obtained, depending on the In content in the starting material and on the deposition temperature. Nanoplates are the dominant structures for the higher In content. The influence of the impurity incorporation on the morphology of the structures has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. While in pure ZnS wires and ribbons two main growth directions are observed ([0001] and [10 (1) over bar0]), indium doped structures show a greater variety of morphologies associated with different growth behavior.