Abstract
Bismuth-doped ZnO nanowires were synthesized by a vapor transfer process at 600°C. Raman spectra revealed that a slight blueshift occurred in ZnO:Bi (438 cm -1 ) nanowires in contrast to ZnO (436 cm -1 ) nanowires. The X-ray photoelectron spectrum showed that the ZnO:Bi nanowires contained the Bi dopant as Bi 0 and Bi 3+ . The turn-on fields of the ZnO:Bi and ZnO nanowires were ∼4.19 and 6.57 V/μm, respectively. Because the ZnO:Bi nanowires exhibited a redshift of absorbance spectrum with a high ratio in the UV range, the photocatalytic activities of ZnO:Bi nanowires were considered superior to those of ZnO nanowires. © 2010 The Electrochemical Society.