Synthesis, characterization and field emission properties of tin oxide nanowires

Tin oxide (SnO₂) nanowires are synthesized by Au catalyzed chemical vapor deposition of Sn and C mixture at 900 °C by employing a continuous flow of Ar: O₂ (10:1) for an hour. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy studies indicate that the as-grown SnO₂ nanowires are crystalline in nature with tetragonal rutile phase. Electron microscopy studies reveal towards high aspect ratio of nanowires. The field emission studies show that SnO₂ nanowires grown on Si substrate exhibit low turn-on field of 1.75 V/μm (at 0.1 μA/cm²) and long-term emission stability over a period of more than 50 h with a current density of 4 μA/cm² at a constant electric field of 2.25 V/μm. Hardly any considerable degradation in the emission current is noticed even after 50 h which may be attributed to the high crystallinity of SnO₂ nanowires. - Graphical abstract: SnO₂ nanowires exhibit field emission stability for a period of 50 h. Inset: Field emission J–E characteristics recorded after 50 h emission stability test. - Highlights: • SnO₂ nanowires (NWs) are grown by chemical vapor deposition of Sn and C mixture. • Electron microscopy studies reveal towards high aspect ratio of SnO₂ NWs. • NWs exhibit low turn-on and threshold fields of 1.75 and 2.48 V/μm, respectively. • Importantly, SnO₂ NWs exhibit emission stability over a period of more than 50 h.