Two-dimensional micrometer-sized single-crystalline ZnO thin nanosheets

Two-dimensional micrometer-sized single-crystalline ZnO thin nanosheets were achieved on a large scale, in which Zn thin nanosheets (precursor) were first grown via a thermal decomposition and reduction of the starting ZnS powder, and then converted to the ZnO nanosheets via a simple oxidation process. The ZnO nanosheets, growing along [100] or [010] direction and enclosed by ± (001) facets, have lateral dimensions up to several hundreds of microns, and thicknesses of 30–70 nm. Both room-temperature cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence measurements reveal that the present ZnO nanosheets have visible emission bands ranging from the green to red.