Optical properties of Nd3+ ion-doped ZnO nanocrystals
Yongsheng Liu1, Wenqin Luo, Renfu Li
1Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Chemistry and Physics, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China.
Abstract:
Hexagonal Nd(3+)-doped ZnO nanocrystals with multiple luminescent centers were synthesized by means of a facile sol-gel method. The Nd(3+)-doped ZnO nanocrystals were characterized by using the X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible reflectance spectra, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Host-to-Nd3+ energy transfer was observed for the first time in Nd(3+)-doped ZnO nanocrystals. It was found that Nd3+ ions can be effectively sensitized by the ZnO nanocrystals, resulting in sharp and intense characteristic Nd3+ luminescence. The photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation spectra of Nd3+ ions in the ZnO nanocrystals were investigated in detail. Furthermore, the possible mechanism of host-to-Nd3+ energy transfer was also proposed on the basis of the optical properties of Nd3+ ions in the ZnO nanocrystals.
