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The formation of MgZnO luminescent ceramics

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Abstract

MgxZn1−xO is a promising alloy system with UV-tunable bandgap. The alloy can have the hexagonal or cubic structure depending on the composition x and growth conditions. We present studies of the optical and material properties of Mg0.1Zn0.9O and Mg0.6Zn0.4O sintered ceramics. The rationale for choosing these compositions is that alloys of both the wurtzite and the cubic phases, respectively, can be investigated. To study the alloying dynamics for the optimization of light emission, the properties as a function of annealing temperature in the range of 600–1,100 °C were investigated via micro-photoluminescence, X-ray diffraction, and imaging techniques. For the Mg0.1Zn0.9O it was found that a threshold temperature of ~900 °C is required in order to initiate the formation of the solid solution with the wurtzite structure. At the elevated temperature regime, the photoluminescence energy for this ceramic sample shifted from 3.25 to 3.5 eV, while the ceramic retained the wurtzite structure. The Mg0.6Zn0.4O was found to have a sequence of phases: initially the alloy formed with the wurtzite structure, and then a transition into the NaCl cubic structure took place. Similar to the Mg0.1Zn0.9O, a threshold temperature of ~900 °C was required in order to initiate the alloying process. At that temperature regime an alloy was formed with the wurtzite structure, and its photoluminescence energy was ~3.25 eV. At ~1,100 °C the alloy was found to undergo a phase transition from wurtzite to cubic structure. The photoluminescence energy at that temperature was considerably shifted into the UV-range of 4 eV.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Science, Division of Materials Science and Engineering under award DE-FG02-07ER46386. The authors also acknowledge the Electron Microscopy Center at the University of Idaho.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844, USA

    John L. Morrison, Jesse Huso, Hui Che, Dinesh Thapa, Michelle Huso, M. Grant Norton & Leah Bergman

  2. School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA

    M. Grant Norton

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  1. John L. Morrison
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  7. Leah Bergman
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Correspondence to Leah Bergman.

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Morrison, J.L., Huso, J., Che, H. et al. The formation of MgZnO luminescent ceramics. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 23, 437–444 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-011-0530-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-011-0530-7

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