Tuning visible-wavelength spectrum of white-light super-continuum via etalon transmission in lamellar ZnO micro/nanoparticle-stacked structures

Abstract

Multi-layered micro/nanostructures enable the fine-tuning of spectral bandwidth induced by coherent interference of multi-scattering and refraction bounded by a motive of Fabry Perot etalon. In this paper a ZnO micro/nanostructured thin film device is grown on a 21 nm silver film-sputtered sapphire substrates (0001) and attempted to be complied as a transmission-mode white-light spectrum tuning device. In details, the growth of the structures as a function of temporal duration and the effects of deposition of a 21 nm silver film atop sapphire substrates to the structural and optical properties of ZnO structures are investigated. Results of SEM imaging reveals that the insertion of the silver film enables synthesis of round ZnO particles at micro or nanoscales depending on the duration of growth time as opposed to the floral pattern associated with plain sapphire substrates. Characterizing material crystallization by XRD spectra found one dominant and two minor peaks along the planes of crystallization (002), and (100) and (101), correspondingly. Also, the characteristic PL peak at 380 nm was confirmed when excited at 325 nm, and the intensity decreases as the duration of growth time increases. Finally, growth duration-dependent modulation of peak wavelength and spectral bandwidth of the continuum laser was demonstrated.