Photoluminescence Properties of ZnO Nanorods Synthesized by Different Methods

The photoluminescence properties of ZnO nanorods synthesized by the low-temperature hydrothermal and high-temperature vapor-phase methods are studied. At room temperature, the photoluminescence of ZnO nanorods synthesized by the high-temperature vapor-phase method exhibits only one highintensity ultraviolet peak at a wavelength of 382 nm. At the same time, the luminescence spectra of ZnO nanorod samples grown by the low-temperature hydrothermal method, but with the use of different chemical reagents exhibit, apart from the ultraviolet peak, a violet band or a yellow-orange band at ~401 and ~574 nm, respectively. The violet luminescence band is attributed to defects or zinc vacancy complexes, and the yellow-orange band to defects associated with interstitial oxygen.