Abstract
Periodical silver nanoparticle (NP) arrays were fabricated by magnetron sputtering method with anodic aluminum oxide templates to enhance the UV light emission from ZnO by the surface plasmon resonance effect. Theoretical simulations indicated that the surface plasmon resonance wavelength depended on the diameter and space of Ag NP arrays. By introducing Ag NP arrays with the diameter of 40 nm and space of 100 nm, the photoluminescence intensity of the near band-edge emission from ZnO was twofold enhanced. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurement and energy band analysis indicated that the UV light emission enhancement was attributed to the coupling between the surface plasmons in Ag NP arrays and the excitons in ZnO with the improved spontaneous emission rate and enhanced local electromagnetic fields.
Highlights
Surface plasmons (SPs) have attracted much attention
The electric field distributions and the scattering cross-section (Qscat) spectra of Ag NP arrays were simulated under a total-field scattered-field (TFSF) light source polarized along the z-axis
By increasing the size of Ag NP arrays from sample 2 to 3, or from sample 4 to 5, the surface plasmon resonance wavelength makes a redshift under the same space condition
Summary
As the collective oscillations of free electrons around metal nanoparticles (NPs) surface, localized surface plasmons (LSPs) were widely applied to enhance the light emission in optoelectronic devices, due to selective photon absorptions and enhanced local electromagnetic field around the metal NPs [1]. Many efforts of LSP-enhanced emissions have been made in ultraviolet (UV) optoelectronic devices such as light emitting diodes [2–4] and photodetectors [5–9]. ZnO is one of the most promising materials for UV optoelectronic devices due to a direct wide bandgap of 3.37 eV and an exciton binding energy of 60 meV [10]. The low UV light emission efficiency blocks its. The LSP-enhanced UV light emissions from ZnO were obtained by introducing periodical Ag NPs arrays with AAO templates. The optimal size of Ag NP arrays was obtained as the diameter of 40 nm
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