Red luminescence of Eu3+ doped ZnO nanoparticles fabricated by laser ablation in aqueous solution

Fabrication of Eu³⁺-doped ZnO nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquid medium is reported. Sintered disks made of mixed powders of ZnO and Eu₂O₃ are used for targets, and surfactant of sodium dodecyl sulfate or LiOH is included in solution. Round-shaped nanoparticles with the diameter of 5??30?nm are synthesized. When the ZnO host is photoexcited, broad green photoluminescence (PL) of oxygen vacancies in the ZnO host as well as red PL of Eu³⁺ is observed at room temperature. The red PL peak of Eu³⁺ included in the ZnO host lattice is different from that of the source material of Eu₂O₃. Energy transfer from the ZnO host to Eu³⁺ is demonstrated in site-selectively excited PL spectra and its excitation spectra. This result shows that the liquid-phase laser ablation is useful for doping active centers into nanoparticles.