Origin of defect-related green emission from ZnO nanoparticles: effect of surface modification

• DOI: 10.1007/s11671-007-9064-6
• Publication Date: 2007-06-11T18:54:19Z
• Authors: Yinyan Gong; Tamar Andelman; Gertrude F Neumark; Stephen O’Brien; Igor L Kuskovsky
• Keywords: Zeta potential; Nanochemistry; Trioctylphosphine oxide

Abstract We investigated the optical properties of colloidal-synthesized ZnO spherical nanoparticles prepared from 1-octadecene (OD), a mixture trioctylamine (TOA) and OD (1:10), trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) (1:12). It is found that green photoluminescence (PL) samples TOA/OD TOPO/OD largely suppressed compared with pure OD. Moreover, it all have positive zeta potential, smaller potential than those A plausible explanation oxygen vacancies, presumably located near surface, contribute to PL, introduction TOA TOPO will reduce density vacancies surfaces. Assuming emission arises due radiative recombination between deep levels formed by free holes, we estimate size optically active spectral energy luminescence. The results are in good agreement TEM. Since this method independent degree confinement, has great advantage providing simple practical way any size. would like point out only applicable for small distribution.