ABSTRACT
The distinct optical emission from ZnO materials, nanoneedles and microcrystallites synthesized with different sizes and morphologies by a flow deposition technique, is investigated with X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) and time-resolved X-ray excited optical luminescence (TR-XEOL) from a synchrotron light source at the O K and Zn L(3,2) edges. The innovative use of XEOL, allowing site-specific chemical information and luminescence information at the same time, is fundamental to provide direct evidence for the different behaviour and the crucial role of bulk and surface defects in the origin of ZnO optical emission, including dynamics. XEOL from highly crystalline ZnO nanoneedles is characterized by a sharp band-gap emission (~380 nm) and a broad red luminescence (~680 nm) related to surface defects. Luminescence from ZnO microcrystallites is mostly dominated by green emission (~510 nm) associated with defects in the core. TR-XEOL experiments show considerably faster decay dynamics in nanoneedles compared to microcrystallites for both band-gap emission and visible luminescence. Herein we make a fundamental step forward correlating for the first time the interplay of size, crystallinity, morphology and excitation energy with luminescence from ZnO materials.
Subject(s)
Nanostructures/chemistry , Zinc Oxide/chemistry , Luminescence , Luminescent Measurements , Nanostructures/ultrastructure , X-RaysABSTRACT
Time-resolved X-ray Excited Optical Luminescence (TRXEOL) has been developed to investigate the optical properties of a green organometallic phosphor, tris(2-phenyl pyridine)iridium, Ir(ppy)3. Using time-gated measurements, we find that the characteristic luminescence band from a neat Ir(ppy)3 film is composed of a fast channel at approximately 534 nm and a slower channel at approximately 580 nm. The implication of this study and the applicability of the technique in the study of light emitting materials are noted.
