Defect-mediated energy transfer in ZnO thin films doped with rare-earth ions

0566236 - ÚFE 2024 RIV NL eng J - Journal Article
Yatskiv, Roman - Grym, Jan - Bašinová, Nikola - Kučerová, Šárka - Vaniš, Jan - Piliai, L. - Vorokhta, M. - Veselý, J. - Maixner, J.
Defect-mediated energy transfer in ZnO thin films doped with rare-earth ions.
Journal of Luminescence. Roč. 253, JAN 2023 (2023), č. článku 119462. ISSN 0022-2313. E-ISSN 1872-7883
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA20-24366S; GA ČR(CZ) GA20-24366S; GA MŠMT(CZ) 8X20053
Institutional support: RVO:67985882
Keywords : Energy transfer * Luminescence * Nanoparticles
OECD category: Optics (including laser optics and quantum optics)
Impact factor: 3.6, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Limited access

The rare-earth (RE) (Eu, Er, Nd) doped ZnO thin films were fabricated by a cost-effective chemical solution deposition method. The emission properties of ZnO:RE films were investigated under different excitation conditions, where the RE ions were excited either through direct pumping into the 4f energy levels of RE ions or through indirect excitation by energy transfer from the host material. It is demonstrated that under both excitation methods, the films showed strong emission from the RE ions at room temperature, which confirms the hypothesis that the RE ions can be effectively excited by the host material. Moreover, the influence of RE doping on the development of the crystalline structure of the ZnO thin film was studied. Only a small amount of REs was incorporated into the ZnO grains, most of the REs remained segregated at the grain boundaries, forming a thin oxide shell that strongly suppresses the sintering of the grains and reduces their size.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0345151