Multiform structures of SnO₂ nanobelts

Multiform SnO₂ microstructures were synthesized by a facile thermal evaporation of tin grains. The product was characterized with a variety of techniques to obtain the structural and optical information. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed a large percentage of acute angle zigzag nanobelts with perfectly periodic morphology. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns revealed that the zigzag nanobelts were single crystalline and their zone axis was along the [010] crystal direction. The growth mechanism of zigzag nanobelts was proposed based on TEM characterization and thermodynamic analysis. The zigzag nanobelts were deduced to be formed by changing the growth direction from to [101] or vice versa. The photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy of the nanobelts showed a broad and strong luminescence emission centred at 550 nm.