Luminescence induced by electrons outside zinc oxide nanoparticles driven by intense terahertz pulse trains

Abstract

We investigated the behaviours of electrons from ZnO nanoparticles via a strong terahertz field. Luminescence from ZnO nanoparticles and surrounding nitrogen molecules was observed when the nanoparticles were irradiated with a terahertz free-electron laser (FEL). These excitations arose from the collision of electrons released via field electron emission with the ZnO nanoparticles and neighbouring nitrogen molecules. The strong excitation frequency dependence of the luminescence reflected the kinetic energy and trajectory of electrons outside the nanoparticles. We also observed spectral changes in the luminescence during macropulses of the FEL, even though the carrier lifetime of the nanoparticles was shorter than the interval between the micropulses. These changes were caused by the nanoparticles becoming charged due to electron emission, resulting in the electrons being re-emitted outside the nanoparticles. The electrons outside the nanoparticles were accelerated more efficiently by the terahertz field than the electrons inside the nanoparticles, and thus the motion of these exterior electrons provided a new excitation path.