Dependence of the morphology evolution and crystal orientation of tellurium (Te) micro- and nanostructures on the growth temperature

One-dimensional (1D) single crystalline tellurium (Te) micro- and nanostructures were successfully prepared using thermal evaporation with a metallic Te powder. We found that the morphologies of the Te structures evolved from microrods to nanorods and finally tubular nanostructures with increasing growth temperatures of 500, 600, and 700 .deg. C. Our results strongly suggest that the growth temperature, which highly depends on the formation of a two-dimensional (2D) Te microcrystal layer on the substrate, plays an important role in determining the surface morphology and the crystal orientation of the Te micro- and nanostructures.