Interpretation of optical conductivity of zinc oxide nanowires

The frequency dependent optical response of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanowires is theoretically analyzed within the two component schemes: one is the motion of coherent Drude electrons within the ZnO nanowire and the other is incoherent motion of electrons from one nanowire to other. The model has only one free parameter, the relaxation rate. The frequency dependent relaxation rates are expressed in terms of memory functions. The coherent Drude carriers form a sharp peak at zero frequency and a long tail at higher frequencies, i.e. in the infrared region. However, the hopping of carriers from one nanowire to other (incoherent motion of electrons) yields a peak value in the optical conductivity around mid infrared region. It is found that both the Drude and hopping carriers will contribute to the optical process of conduction in ZnO nanowire