Stability and nonlinear optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles

Photoluminescence (PL) of ZnO nanoparticles of different surface states and sizes grown by several methods has been measured. The origin of luminescence and dependence of the luminescence spectrum shape and intensity on 325 nm excitation laser power are studied. Strong ultraviolet emission at 3.26 eV, weak violet emission around 3.12 eV and weak green emission at 2.40 eV have been observed in 16 nm nanoparticles capped by octylamine grown by non-hydrolytic method. The nanoparticles are stable under high power laser radiation and their PL intensity increases nonlinearly with an increasing laser power. As the nanoparticle size decreases to 12 nm, high power laser produces nonradiative centers which may quench the luminescence in a degree. Nanoparticles of 8 nm capped by PVP and uncapped nanoparticles of 14 nm are unstable and their luminescence depends on the excitation laser power. High power laser can quench O vacancy emission and enhance ultraviolet emission in PVP capped nanoparticles while vacancy emission can not be quenched in uncapped nanoparticles.