Growth Mechanism and Optical Properties of Phosphorus‐Doped ZnO Nanorods Synthesized by Hydrothermal Method

Phosphorus‐doped ZnO nanorods were successfully prepared by hydrothermal method using ammonium dihydrogen phosphate as the dopant source. The effects of different Zn sources, zinc nitrate concentration, reaction duration, ammonium dihydrogen phosphate concentration, and annealing temperature on the morphologies and phosphorus content of ZnO nanorods were investigated. The doping mechanism of phosphorus‐doped ZnO nanorods has been discussed. Detailed photoluminescence studies of phosphorus‐doped ZnO revealed characteristic phosphorus acceptor‐related peaks: neutral acceptor‐bound exciton emission at 3.347 eV, and donor‐to‐acceptor pair emission at 3.232 eV, free‐electron to neutral‐acceptor emission at 3.312 eV. This means that stable acceptor levels with a binding energy of about 126 meV were formed by phosphorus doping.