Nature of red luminescence band in research-grade ZnO single crystals: A “self-activated” configurational transition

Abstract

By implanting Zn+ ions into research-grade intentionally undoped ZnO single crystal for facilitating Zn interstitials (Zni) and O vacancies (VO) which is revealed by precise X-Ray diffraction rocking curves, we observe an apparent broad red luminescence band with a nearly perfect Gaussian lineshape. This red luminescence band has the zero phonon line at ∼2.4 eV and shows distinctive lattice temperature dependence which is well interpreted with the configurational coordinate model. It also shows a low “kick out” thermal energy and small thermal quenching energy. A “self-activated” optical transition between a shallow donor and the defect center of Zni-VO complex or VZnVO di-vacancies is proposed to be responsible for the red luminescence band. Accompanied with the optical transition, large lattice relaxation simultaneously occurs around the center, as indicated by the generation of multiphonons.