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Vertically well aligned ZnO nanorods (NRs) were grown on Si(100) substrate using RF magnetron sputtering technique. Scanning electron microscopy images confirms uniform distribution of NRs on 2 in. wafer with average diameter, height and density being ~75 nm, ~850 nm, and ~1.5 × 1010 cm-2, respectively. X-ray diffraction reveals that the ZnO NRs are grown along c-axis direction with wurtzite crystal structure. Cathodoluminescence spectroscopy, which shows a single strong peak around 3.24 eV with full width half maxima 130 meV, indicates the high crystalline and optical quality of ZnO and very low defect density. Vertically aligned nanosensors were fabricated by depositing gold circular Schottky contacts on ZnO NRs. Resistance responses of nanosensors were observed in the range from 50 to 150 °C in 1% and 5% hydrogen in argon environment, which is below and above the explosive limit (4%) of hydrogen in air. The nanosensor's sensitivity increases from 11% to 67% with temperature from 50 to 150 °C and also shows fast response time (9-16 s) and moderate recovery time (100-200 s). A sensing mechanism is proposed based on Schottky barrier changes at heterojunctions and change in depletion region of NRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-aligned ZnO nanorods (NRs) were grown on n-Si(100) substrate by RF sputtering techniques. The NRs are uniformly grown on 2-inch wafer along [0001] direction. Single-crystalline wurtzite structure of ZnO NRs was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The average diameter, height, and density of NRs are found 48 nm, 750 nm, and 1.26×1010 cm–2, respectively. The current-voltages (I-V) characteristics of ZnO NRs/Si heterojunction (HJ) were studied in the temperature range of 120–300K and it shows a rectifying behavior. Barrier height (ϕB) and ideality factor (η) were estimated from thermionic emission model and found to be highly temperature dependent in nature. Richardson constant (A*) was evaluated using Richardson plot of ln(Io/T2) versus q/kT plot by linear fitting in two temperature range 120–180K and 210–300 K. Large deviation in Richardson constant from its theoretical value of n-Si indicates the presence of barrier inhomogeneities at HJ. Double Gaussian distribution of barrier height with thermionic equation gives mean barrier heights of 0.55±0.01 eV and 0.86±0.02 eV for two different temperature regions 120–180K and 210–300 K, respectively. Modified Richardson plot provided two values of Richardson constant for two temperature regions. However, for higher temperature range (210–300 K), the calculated value of Richardson constant ~123 A cm–2 K–2 was close to the ideal Richardson constant for n-Si. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]