Fabrication of optically enhanced ZnO nanorods and microrods using novel biocatalysts

We developed a straightforward method to produce hexagonal ZnO nanorods and microrods using a novel biocatalyst, Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum. ZnO nanorods were synthesized homogeneously on growth substrates when the bacterial catalysts were deposited uniformly on substrates whereas ZnO microrods were formed when the catalysts were introduced to selective areas of growth substrates using microcontact printing. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal that these ZnO structures exhibit Wurtzite structures with preferential growth along [0001] direction. Room-temperature photoluminescence spectra of the as-synthesized ZnO nanorods and microrods show extremely strong and sharp UV emission at 390 nm and negligible green emission at 510 nm. Our results demonstrate that Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum is an effective catalyst for the growth of nanometer- and micrometer-sized ZnO structures with exceptionally high-quality optical properties. These defect-free ZnO nano-and micro-materials, when combined with microcontact printing techniques to achieve patterned growth over large areas of substrates, can facilitate their photonic-based applications as optoelectronic devices and chemical/biological sensors.