Direct observation of tunnelled intergrowth in SnO2/Ga2O3 complex nanowires

beta-Ga_2O_3 intergrowths have been revealed in the SnO_2 rutile structure when SnO_2/Ga_2O_3 complex nanostructures are grown by thermal evaporation with a catalyst-free basis method. The structure is formed by a Ga_2O_3 nanowire trunk, around which a rutile SnO_2 particle is formed with [001] aligned to the [010] Ga_2O_3 trunk axis. Inside the SnO_2 particle, beta-Ga_2O_3 units occur separated periodically by hexagonal tunnels in the (210) rutile plane. Orange (620 nm) optical emission from tin oxide, with a narrow linewidth indicating localised electronic states, may be associated with this beta-Ga_2O_3 intergrowth.