Abstract
Zinc oxide (ZnO) phosphors are superior in chemical stability and electrical conductivity to conventional sulfide materials. Although red luminescence is often observed in impurity-doped ZnO, its intensity is relatively weak, its origin is still unclear and hence practical application is less available as compared to other oxide red phosphors. In this study, ZnO-based red phosphor thin films have been proposed based on a nanocomposite structure where Eu(III) is incorporated into a secondary LaOF host lattice dispersed in a ZnO matrix. This structure turned out advantageous in tailoring, almost independently of Eu(III) luminescence, electrical and optical properties of the films by doping in ZnO. When Ga was doped in the films, the resistivity decreased without deteriorating red luminescence. As a result, the films could also be recognized as transparent conductive electrodes which were capable of converting UV into visible light.
