Enhancement and patterning of ultraviolet emission in ZnO with an electron beam

An intense enhancement of ultraviolet (UV) emission was observed in various kinds of ZnO samples that were prepared using a wet chemical method when they were under electron-beam irradiation. The UV emission can increase to more than two times its initial value, whereas the visible emission reduces to a negligible value. We suggest that this enhancement effect mainly results from electron-stimulated desorption of adsorbed water. Applying this effect, we have developed a simple technique of directly writing submicrometer UV emission patterns in ZnO with an electron beam without changing the material’s surface morphology.