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We investigate the optical properties of four different samples of ZnO nanocrystals, with a particle size average varying from 70 up to 380 nm. The photoluminescence (PL) of all samples shows at low temperature an emission band around 3.31 eV, which is several orders of magnitude stronger compared to the PL of bulk ZnO at this energy. This band shows a clear dependence on the surface to volume ratio of the nanocrystals and is therefore assigned to surface states. Temperature dependent measurements reveal that this band plays a major role up to room temperature for all examined ZnO powders. Additionally, intensity dependent measurements display that the origin of this emission band can be assigned to bound exciton complexes (BECs). Compared to the well known shallow BECs the measured lifetimes of these relatively strong bound excitons states are much longer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the electronic structure and the radiative recombination in wet-chemically fabricated Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cell absorbers utilizing photoluminescence (PL) and photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectroscopy, focusing especially on the effects of varying Cu content. This includes the impact of the latter on the band gap energy and the change in band gap energy related to the order-disorder transition. Characteristic PL and PLE parameters like the energetic position of the PL maximum and the PL yield as a function of the excitation power as well as the PLE tailing parameter do not depend on composition indicating that the nature of the radiative transition is not altered by the Cu content. However, the band gap energy Eg significantly increases as a function of decreasing Cu content. This increase is more pronounced in the disordered than in the ordered atomic arrangement of Cu and Zn atoms in the Cu-Zn planes of the kesterite crystal structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results of experimental studies of photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation (PLE) spectra of MBE grown single quantum wells (QWs) formed by insertion of few CdSe monolayers in the ZnSe matrix are reviewed. PL spectra of such quantum objects originate from the luminescence of CdSe-rich nanoislands. Two types of island emitting states, namely ground and metastable ones, contribute to the low- and high-energy parts of the PL band, respectively. An interplay between these contributions is responsible for the anomalous temperature dependence of the maximum position of the PL band. The optical orientation and optical alignment experiments at resonant excitations allow to elucidate the nature of the two types of the emitting states. PLE spectra of ground and metastable states have strongly differing characters at excitation below some characteristic energy EME which is identified as the exciton percolation threshold. A theoretical model of the absorption spectra of emitting island states is presented, and practical applications of the model for the characterization of the island lateral concentration profiles are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using indium as catalyst for growth and simultaneously as doping source, ordered arrays of n-type ZnO single crystal nanorods have been perpendicularly grown on p-GaN/Al2O3 substrates with a vapor phase transport growth method. The low temperature photoluminescence measurements of the n-ZnO nanorods show dominant In-related neutral donor bound exciton emission in the ultraviolet region. Electrical transport measurements performed on single n-ZnO nanorods yield resistances of about 50–200 kΩ and a typical specific resistivity of 2.0×10-2 Ω cm. The resistivity is one order of magnitude reduced by introducing In compared to the nominally undoped ZnO nanorods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordered ZnO nanorod arrays with almost uniform rod size have been grown perpendicularly on GaN/Al2O3 substrates by a controlled vapor phase transport growth method. The ZnO nanorods are [0001] oriented single crystals with diameter of 200 nm and length of 4.7 μm, with a rod-to-rod spacing of 500 nm. Photoluminescence spectra of the rod arrays indicate that the rods are of high crystal quality: very strong, well-separated bound and free exciton emission in the ultraviolet (UV) region are resolved at low temperature. Time resolved microphotoluminescence measurements are performed on single nanorods standing on the substrate which demonstrates lasing behavior with multiple UV lasing modes. Under quasistationary excitation lasing is observed up to room temperature. The lasing emission peaks are sharp, with a linewidth about 0.1 nm, and have a fast decay time of ∼8 ps. These high crystal quality nanorod arrays may be promising candidates for UV nanolaser devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the energy relaxation of excitons during the real-space transport in ZnSe quantum wells by using microphotoluminescence with spatial resolution enhanced by a solid immersion lens. The spatial evolution of the LO-phonon sideband, originating from the LO-phonon assisted recombination of hot excitons, is measured directly. By calculating the LO-phonon assisted recombination probability, we obtain the nonthermal energy distribution of excitons and observe directly the energy relaxation of hot excitons during their transport. We find the excitons remain hot during their transport on a length scale of several micrometers. Thus, the excitonic transport on this scale cannot be described by classical diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]