Progress of Science and Technology of ZnO as Advanced Material

The intense interest in zinc oxide (ZnO) materials stems from their attractive semiconducting properties and wide potential applications. Technical control over the growth of ZnO and comprehensive study of its physical and chemical natures are of great significance in understanding the crystal growth mechanism and further developing new ZnO-based functional devices. This review presents a brief summary of recent research activities on the science and technology of ZnO as advanced material with an emphasis on the latest development in property study and chemical synthesis of ZnO structures. The solution-phase routes to grow bulk ZnO crystals, thin films, hollow structures, and nanoparticles will be detailedly demonstrated. Finally, we will briefly discuss some typical applications of ZnO devices for sensors, dye-sensitized solar cells, and field emission.