Tailoring the optical property by a three-dimensional epitaxial heterostructure: A case of ZnO/SnO2

A ZnO/SnO2 core-shell heterostructure is used to demonstrate the possibility of establishing a three-dimensional epitaxial interface between two materials with different crystal systems for the first time and show possible tailoring optical properties by building the heteroepitaxial crystal interface. The structural characterizations show that as-prepared ZnO/SnO2 heterostructure exhibits unique luminescence properties in contrast with individual tetrapod ZnO and SnO2 nanostructures, in which the epitaxial interface induces new luminescence properties.