Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 28, 2026

Plasma-Assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy Growth of Mg3N2 and Zn3N2 Thin Films
Published on: May 11, 2019
Vapour-liquid-solid growth of ZnO-ZnMgO core-shell nanowires by gold-catalysed molecular beam epitaxy
O W Kennedy1, E R White, M S P Shaffer
1London Centre for Nanotechnology, UCL, 17-19 Gordon Street, London, WC1H 0AH, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Nanowire heterostructures, combining multiple phases within a single nanowire, modify functional properties and offer a platform for novel device development. Here, ZnO/ZnMgO core-shell nanowires are grown by molecular beam epitaxy. At growth temperatures above 750 °C, Mg diffuses into ZnO making heterostructure growth impossible; at lower shell-growth temperatures (500 °C), the core-shell structure is retained. Even very thin ZnMgO shells show increased intensity photoluminescence (PL) across the ZnO band-gap and a suppression in defect-related PL intensity, relative to plain ZnO nanowires. EDX measurements on shell thickness show a correlation between shell thickness and core diameter which is explained by a simple growth model.
Related Concept Videos
Molecular Comparison of Gases, Liquids, and Solids
Molecular and Ionic Solids
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
Speed of Sound in Solids and Liquids
The Nucleosome Core Particle
The paradox
Nucleosomes, paradoxically, perform two opposite functions simultaneously. On the one hand, their main responsibility is to protect the delicate DNA strands from physical damage and help achieve a higher compaction ratio. While on the other hand, they must allow polymerase enzymes to access DNA...
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...

