Thermoluminescence and decay studies on cerium doped ZnO nanopowders

Cerium doped ZnO nanopowders have been synthesized through soft solution route using ultrasound. Sonication has been found to be an effective way for doping rare earth ions like cerium into ZnO. Compositional analysis confirmed the presence of cerium in ZnO. Incorporation of Ce into ZnO leads to an increase in the unit cell volume. Further studies show the increase of crystallite size and unit cell volume with doping of cerium ions. Thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) decay studies give an idea of various trapping levels present in the band gap of ZnO. These traps release electrons during optical-stimulation to give bimolecular kinetics in nano ZnO:Ce powders. The decay constants are found to be depending upon the irradiation doses.

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► Ultrasonication is found to be an effective way of doping of cerium ions into ZnO.
► Cerium in ZnO shows site dependent characteristic emission.
► Lattice expansion in ZnO after cerium incorporation.
► Mono and bimolecular kinetics of ZnO:Ce.