Orange photoluminescence emission and multi-photon Raman scattering from microscale Zn2SnO4 tetrapods

Highlights: • Zn₂SnO₄ and ZnO tetrapods have been synthesized. • Zn₂SnO₄ tetrapods tend to grow at higher temperature. • The morphology, structure and optical properties of Zn₂SnO₄ were studied. • The photoluminescence spectrum shows an asymmetric broad emission at 450–800 nm. Zinc stannate (Zn₂SnO₄) and zinc oxide (ZnO) tetrapods were synthesized in air atmosphere through a one-step, high-temperature, gas-solid process. Analysis of the samples' morphological and structural vibration properties were performed via scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra show that Zn₂SnO₄ tetrapods are mainly distributed in the vicinity of the source material. The optical properties of the samples were studied using a fluorescence spectrometer, which showed that Zn₂SnO₄ tetrapods had an asymmetric, broad emission in the wavelength range of 450–800 nm. The mechanism of the broad emission is discussed.