Copper-doped zinc oxide nanowires were fabricated on copper-coated silicon substrate by sintering a mixture of zinc oxide and graphite powders at high temperature. Copper functioned as a catalyst in the zinc oxide nanowire growth and was incorporated during the growth as a dopant. The size of copper-doped zinc oxide nanowires ranges from 30 to 100 nm in diameter and tens to hundreds of microns in length. The photoluminescent excitation spectra showed multiple absorption peaks in the ultraviolet and blue/green region. Correspondingly, broad and continuous photoluminescence spectra were observed extending from the ultraviolet to the red region with shoulder peaks at room temperature, which is different from that of the bulk. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low temperature photoluminescence were employed to analyse the luminescent mechanism.

SnO2 zigzag nanobelts were successfully Sb-doped by a simple vapor deposition method. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to characterize these Sb-doped nanobelts. The Sb doping in SnO2 nanobelts was confirmed by Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is found that there is no apparent lattice distance difference between the pure SnO2 and the 0.705 at% Sb doped SnO2 nanobelts. A slight blue-shift in the photoluminescence (PL) spectra was shown with the increase of Sb doping concentration and a reasonable explanation was given.