Synthesis of ZnO：Dy Nanopowder and Photoluminescence of Dy^3＋ in ZnO

A type of dysprosium-doped ZnO （ZnO：Dy） nanopowder was synthesized by high temperature calcinations. XRD was used to analyze the structure. Photoluminescence spectra were used to study the optical characteristic. PL of ZnO：Dy shows two different spectra which are broad band resulted from the defect of Dy in ZnO and sharp lines from the 4f→4f transition of isolated Dy^3 ＋ luminescence center. The emission and excitation spectra depend on the excitation wavelength and the concentration of Dy^3＋ . The broad bands with peaks at 600 and 760 nm are attributed to the recombination from an electron of the defect Dy in ZnO to a hole in VB.