The surface science of titanium dioxide

Zinc oxide is a unique material that exhibits semiconducting and piezoelectric dual properties. Using a solid–vapour phase thermal sublimation technique, nanocombs, nanorings, nanohelixes/nanosprings, nanobelts, nanowires and nanocages of ZnO have been synthesized under specific growth conditions. These unique nanostructures unambiguously demonstrate that ZnO probably has the richest family of nanostructures among all materials, both in structures and in properties. The nanostructures could have novel applications in optoelectronics, sensors, transducers and biomedical sciences. This article reviews the various nanostructures of ZnO grown by the solid–vapour phase technique and their corresponding growth mechanisms. The application of ZnO nanobelts as nanosensors, nanocantilevers, field effect transistors and nanoresonators is demonstrated.

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Zinc oxide nanostructures: growth, properties and applications

The Interaction of Water with Solid Surfaces: Fundamental Aspects Revisited

Surface Science Studies of the Photoactivation of TiO2New Photochemical Processes

S. Pillai would like to acknowledge the UNSW Faculty
of Engineering Research Scholarship. K.R. Catchpole
acknowledges the support of an Australian Research Council fellowship.

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Surface plasmon enhanced silicon solar cells

The structures of the polar surfaces of ZnO are studied using ab initio calculations and surface x-ray diffraction. The experimental and theoretical relaxations are in good agreement. The polar surfaces are shown to be very stable; the cleavage energy for the (0001)-Zn and (0001 )-O surfaces is 4.0J/m2 comparable to 2.32J/m2 for the most stable nonpolar (1010) surface. The surfaces are stabilized by an electronic mechanism involving the transfer of 0.17 electrons between them. This leads to 2D metallic surface states, which has implications for the use of the material in gas sensing and catalytic applications.

The Stability of Polar Oxide Surfaces

Oxygen-induced ordering of potassium in a coadsorbate phase: a SPA-LEED and STM study of K-O/Ni(100)

The surfaces of quasicrystals have been extensively studied since about 1990. In this paper we review work on the structure and morphology of clean surfaces, and their electronic and phonon structure. We also describe progress in adsorption and epitaxy studies. The paper is illustrated throughout with examples from the literature. We offer some reflections on the wider impact of this body of work and anticipate areas for future development.

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Ronan McGrath

Papers

The Stability of Polar Oxide Surfaces

Oxygen-induced ordering of potassium in a coadsorbate phase: a SPA-LEED and STM study of K-O/Ni(100)

The surface science of quasicrystals.

Formation of a quasicrystalline Pb monolayer on the 10-fold surface of the decagonal Al–Ni–Co quasicrystal

Determination of sulphur coordination to the two-fold hollow site of Ni(110) using polarisation-dependent sexafs