Preparation and luminescence properties of Mn2+-doped ZnGa2O4 nanofibers via electrospinning process

One-dimensional Mn{sup 2+}-doped ZnGa{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanofibers were prepared by a simple and cost-effective electrospinning process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra as well as kinetic decays were used to characterize the samples. SEM results indicated that the as-formed precursor fibers and those annealed at 700 deg. C are uniform with length of several tens to hundred micrometers, and the diameters of the fibers decrease greatly after being heated at 700 deg. C. Under ultraviolet excitation (246 nm) and low-voltage electron beams (1-3 kV) excitation, the ZnGa{sub 2}O{sub 4}:Mn{sup 2+} nanofibers presents the blue emission band of the ZnGa{sub 2}O{sub 4} host lattice and the strong green emission with a peak at 505 nm corresponding to the {sup 4}T{sub 1}-{sup 6}A{sub 1} transition of Mn{sup 2+} ion.