Production of Gas Phase Zinc Oxide Nanoclusters by Pulsed Laser Ablation

TL;DR

This paper reports on the production and photoluminescence properties of zinc oxide nanoclusters generated by pulsed laser ablation, highlighting their excitonic emission and dependence on ambient gas conditions.

Contribution

It provides experimental insights into the photoluminescence behavior of gas-phase ZnO nanoclusters produced by pulsed laser ablation in oxygen.

Findings

PL spectra show exciton recombination in nanoclusters

Spectral features depend on ambient gas pressure

Nanoclusters crystallize and cool during ablation process

Abstract

We present experimental results on the photoluminescence (PL) of gas-suspended zinc oxide nanoclusters prepared during ablation of sintered ZnO targets by a pulsed ArF laser in the presence of oxygen ambient gas. The PL spectra in the UV spectral region correspond to the exciton recombination in the nanoclusters which are crystallized and cooled down to the temperature of the ambient gas in the ablation chamber. The time evolution of the spectra as well as their dependence on the ambient gas pressure are discussed.