Shape-dependent localized surface plasmon enhanced UV-emission from ZnO grown by atomic layer deposition

Two-dimensional arrays of Al nanoparticles (NPs) were used to demonstrate the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) enhanced UV light emission from ZnO grown by atomic layer deposition. Well defined NP arrays with different shapes were fabricated on the surface of ZnO by electron-beam lithography. A theoretical analysis based on the finite-difference time-domain method was carried out to show the shape dependence of the LSPR wavelength. Time resolved photoluminescence and temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements suggested that the Al NPs arrays increase the radiative recombination rate by the resonance coupling between the localized surface plasmons and the excitons of the ZnO. By top excitation of the Al NP arrays coupled with ZnO, a 2.6-fold enhancement in peak photoluminescence intensity was measured. The enhancement strongly depended on the NP's shape, revealing an important way of geometrical tuning the UV-emission.