Photoluminescence from Nd Doped Anodic Aluminium Oxide

We prepare Nd doped anodic aluminium oxide (Nd:AAO) template by using Nd doped aluminium foils through two-step anodization processes. Photoluminescence (PL) from the Nd:AAO template with the annealing temperature higher than 400°C is observed, and the PL intensity enhanced with the increasing annealing temperature is found. We investigate the crystallization of Nd:AAO template and the excitation wavelength dependence of PL intensity, showing that the PL results from the Nd doped in the template. The approach presented may probably facilitate the fabricating of AAO with good light-emitting property, which can be used in fabrication of multifunctional nanosized films and may find applications in photonic devices.