The luminescence properties of ZnO nanopowders

Pure and Al³⁺ doped ZnO nanopowders were studied by means of time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. The powders were synthesized by hydrothermal and plasma methods. These powders were used as a raw material for vaporization-condensation process inside the Solar reactor. The commercially available ZnO nanopowder was studied for a comparison. Exciton to defect band luminescence intensity ratio was estimated in different types of ZnO nanopowders. It was found that nanopowders with whiskers morphology show superlinear luminescence intensity depending on excitation density. The observed effect depends on the average nanoparticle size and on the powder morphology.