Microstructure and enhanced photoluminescence of ZnO/V2O5 composite

Abstract

Submicron zinc oxide (ZnO) spheres prepared by a two-stage hydrothermal method were assembled into a layer on a substrate by vertical deposition. Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) was deposited onto the top of ZnO spheres by magnetron sputtering followed by annealing in oxygen atmosphere at 500[Formula: see text]C for an hour. The microstructures and optical properties of the prepared samples were investigated. The photoluminescence (PL) results indicate that the intensity of PL in the annealed ZnO/V2O5 composite microstructures is dramatically improved compared to the constituent V2O5 and ZnO spheres. The intensity enhancement of light emission from the ZnO/V2O5 composite may be attributed to the special microstructure of ZnO particles and the coupling effect between ZnO and V2O5. This transition oxide composite may possibly be developed into a new type of high-efficiency light emitting material.