Photoluminescence on cerium-doped ZnO nanorods produced under sequential atomic layer deposition–hydrothermal processes

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2017, Vol.123 (1), p.1-14, Article 86
• Main Authors: Cervantes-López, J. L., Rangel, R., Espino, J., Martínez, E., García-Gutiérrez, R., Bartolo-Pérez, P., Alvarado-Gil, J. J., Contreras, O. E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied physics; Atomic layer epitaxy; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials science; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-016-0722-3

Doped and undoped ZnO nanorod arrays were produced combining atomic layer deposition and hydrothermal processes. First, a ZnO layer with preferential orientation normal to the c -axis was grown on the substrate by means of the decomposition of diethylzinc; subsequently, the nanorod arrays were produced through solvothermal process using a solution of Zn(NO 3 ) 2 as precursor. Doped ZnO nanorods were produced using Ce(C 2 H 3 O 2 ) 3 ·H 2 O as dopant agent precursor. Undoped and Ce-doped ZnO nanorod arrays showed high-intensity photoluminescence. The doping concentration of x  = 0.04 (Zn 1− x Ce x O) displayed the highest photoluminescence. Undoped ZnO showed an intense UV peak centered at 382 nm with a narrow full wide half maximum of 33 nm. Ce-doped ZnO PL spectra contain three bands, one signal in the UV region centered at 382 nm, other centered at 467 nm in the near-green region and other one emission centered at 560 nm. The results herein exposed demonstrate the capability to produce high-quality ZnO and Zn 1− x Ce x O films.