Photoluminescence of ZnO nanoparticles loaded into porous anodic alumina hosts

The photoluminescence (PL) of ZnO nanoparticles loaded into porous anodic alumina (PAA) hosts has been investigated. These ZnO/PAA composites are synthesized by soaking the PAA films in an aqueous solution of zinc acetate and then annealing them at 500 ◦ C. An intense blue PL emission peaked around 450 nm was observed after ZnO nanoparticles were loaded into the blank PAA hosts. Investigation results reveal that the singly ionized oxygen vacancies of ZnO nanoparticles are responsible for the 450 nm PL emission. This stable photoluminescent system with the blue emission wavelength (450 nm) shows promise for use in the field of light-emitting devices.