Synthesis and Characterization of Ag- or Sb-Doped ZnO Nanorods by a Facile Hydrothermal Route

ZnO nanorods doped with Ag and Sb have been synthesized by a facile hydrothermal technique. Crystal quality, morphology, chemical/electronic composition, local structure, and vibrational mode properties are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Evidence of dopant incorporation is demonstrated in the XPS measurements of both Sb-doped and Ag-doped ZnO nanorods. From XRD data, it was found that the doped ZnO nanorods have a lower degree of crystallinity. The lattice constants of doped ZnO nanorods were slightly larger than that of the pure samples.