Tunable photoluminescent and cathodoluminescent properties of ZnO and ZnO:Zn phosphors

ZnO and ZnO:Zn powder phosphors were prepared by the polyol-method followed by annealing in air and reducing gas, respectively. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra, respectively. The results indicate that all samples are in agreement with the hexagonal structure of the ZnO phase and the particle sizes are in the range of 1-2 microm. The PL and CL spectra of ZnO powders annealed at 950 degrees C in air consist of a weak ultraviolet emission band (approximately 390 nm) and a broad emission band centered at about 527 nm, exhibiting yellow emission color to the naked eyes. When the sample was reduced at the temperatures from 500 to 1050 degrees C, the yellow emission decreased gradually and disappeared completely at 800 degrees C, whereas the ultraviolet emission band became the strongest. Above this temperature, the green emission ( approximately 500 nm) appeared and increased with increasing of reducing temperatures. According to the EPR results and spectral analysis, the yellow and green emissions may arise from the transitions of photogenerated electron close to the conduction band to the deeply trapped hole in the single negatively charged interstitial oxygen ion (Oi(-)) and the single ionized oxygen vacancy (V.O) centers, respectively.