title: Structural, optical and photoluminescence properties of Eu3+doped ZnO nanoparticles.
abstract: The structure, particle morphology and luminescent properties of europium (Eu3+) doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by co-precipitation method are discussed. When excited using a 325nm He-Cd laser, undoped ZnO NPs exhibited weakly the well-known ultraviolet excitonic recombination emission (at ~384nm) and strongly broad band visible emissions associated with defects (at ~600nm). In addition, the ZnO NPs exhibited green emission at ~600nm associated with defects when excited using a monochromatized xenon lamp. Upon Eu3+doping line emissions attributed to5D0→7F1,2,3,4transitions of Eu3+ions were observed when the materials were excited using a monochromatized xenon lamp. The exchange interaction mechanism is identified as the cause for concentration quenching of the luminescence of Eu3+doped ZnO NPs in this study.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Johannesburg ZA2050, South Africa. Electronic address: ntwaeab@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Odireleng Martin
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Ntwaeaborwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, CSET, University of South Africa, Johannesburg ZA1710, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sefako J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mofokeng
authors.affiliation: Photovoltaic Laboratory, Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India.
authors.forename: Vinod
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein ZA9300, South Africa.
authors.forename: Robin E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Kroon
keywords: Co-precipitation; Concentration quenching; Defects; Nanoparticles (NPs); ZnO