Synthesis and Luminescence Properties of (N-Doped) ZnO Nanostructures from a Dimethylformamide Aqueous Solution

Abstract

The paper reports on the optical properties of ZnO nanostructures elaborated on a zinc foil substrate by a simple chemical approach. The doping type and density of the ZnO nanostructures were evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. XRD diffraction patterns and Raman spectroscopy were used to study the structural properties evolution upon thermal annealing at 300 °C for 1 h in air. Their optical properties, probed by low temperature photoluminescence and room temperature cathodoluminescence (CL), are correlated to their electronic and structural properties. The luminescence of the nanorods is dominated by a broad near band edge emission located in the blue-violet region of the optical spectrum. Analysis of the CL spectra and monochromatic CL images show that the main luminescence has an extrinsic origin, which is tentatively assigned to nitrogen impurities.