Luminescence properties of mechanically milled and laser irradiated ZnO

Abstract

The effect of mechanical milling on the luminescence properties of ZnO microcrystalline samples has been studied by means of cathodoluminescence in a scanning electron microscope. The samples consisted of pressed pellets of commercially available ZnO powder which were ball milled to investigate the possibility of nanocrystalline ZnO formation. Changes observed in the relative intensities of the characteristic ultraviolet and green band of ZnO are discussed in terms of defects generated during milling. The effect of nano- and picosecond pulsed laser irradiation on the particle size and luminescence of the milled samples has been also investigated.