Emission Enhancement of ZnO Thin Films in Ultraviolet Wavelength Region Using Au Nano-Hemisphere on Al Mirror Structures

Using a heterogeneous metal Nano Hemisphere on Mirror (NHoM) structure, composed of an Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> thin film and Au nano-hemispheres formed on a thick Al film, we successfully generated two distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks: one in the ultraviolet...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shogo Tokimori, Kai Funato, Kenji Wada, Tetsuya Matsuyama, Koichi Okamoto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Nanomaterials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/5/400
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Using a heterogeneous metal Nano Hemisphere on Mirror (NHoM) structure, composed of an Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> thin film and Au nano-hemispheres formed on a thick Al film, we successfully generated two distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaks: one in the ultraviolet (UV) wavelength range below 400 nm and another in the visible range between 600 and 700 nm. This NHoM structure can be fabricated through a straightforward process involving deposition, sputtering, and annealing, enabling rapid, large-area formation. By adjusting the thickness of the Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> spacer layer in the NHoM structure, we precisely controlled the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) wavelength, spanning a wide range from the UV to the visible spectrum. Through this tuning, we enhanced the band-edge UV emission of the ZnO thin film by a factor of 35. Temperature-dependent measurements of emission intensity revealed that the NHoM structure increased the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the ZnO thin film from 8% to 19%. The heterometallic NHoM structure proposed in this study enables wide-ranging control of SPR wavelengths and demonstrates significant potential for applications in enhancing luminescence in the deep ultraviolet (DUV) region, where luminescence efficiency is typically low.
ISSN:2079-4991