Abstract
Herein, we have investigated the various characteristics of two structurally different phases of Al2O3 nanowires: (i) γ-Al2O3 (cubic) and (ii) θ-Al2O3 (monoclinic). These nanowires were synthesized via hydrothermal treatment followed by calcination. The structural and luminescent properties were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. A plausible formation mechanism was proposed on the basis of experimental observations and analysis. These nanowires of both phases exhibit blue emission at ∼466 nm (2.65 eV) upon 253 nm UV excitation wavelength. The time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy indicated that the decay time (τ) of θ-Al2O3 nanowires (τ = 273 picoseconds) is longer than that of γ-Al2O3 nanowires (τ = 198 picoseconds). Moreover, these Al2O3 nanowires were dispersed in ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) to observe their effect on the electro-optical characteristics. The electro-optical response of the composite devices showed faster electro-optical response, thereby suggesting potential applications in electro-optical shutters and modulators.
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