Electron Emission Enhanced Properties of Gold Nanoparticle-Decorated ZnO Nanosheets Grown at Room Temperature

Abstract

In this study, gold nanoparticles were adsorbed on glass nanosheets (NSs) grown on the surface of glass substrates with aqueous solutions at room temperature. The diameter and length of gold coater ZnO NSs are approximately 50 nm and 0.9 mu m, respectively. The Au-decorated ZnO NS grown at room temperature is structurally uniform and has a good orientation of the wurtzite structure. The turn-on electric fields of ZnO and Au-decorated ZnO nanosheets were 6.04 and 4.91 V/mu m, respectively. The field-enhancement factors were 2507 and 9298, respectively. Results showed that the Au-decorated ZnO NS has enhanced field-emission properties. In addition, due to the reduced size of the protruding Au nanoparticles, the number of emitting sites increases.