We report the preparation of highly monodisperse ZnO nanoparticles using poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) as the capping molecules. The surface-modified ZnO nanoparticles were found to be remarkably stable. The optical absorption shows distinct excitonic features. Markedly enhanced near-band-edge ultraviolet photoluminescence and significantly reduced defect-related green emission were also observed. We attribute this observation to the nearly perfect surface passivation of the ZnO nanoparticles by the PVP molecules. The third-order nonlinear optical response of these PVP-capped ZnO nanoparticles in a dilute solution was found to be significantly larger (by at least two orders of magnitude) than that of the bulk ZnO.

We have synthesized highly monodisperse wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles using poly-(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) as the capping molecules. The effect of surface modification on the size, structure, morphology, and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated. It was found that many properties of the ZnO nanoparticles could be optimized by simply varying the molar ratio Zn(II)/PVP. The ZnO nanoparticles prepared under the optimum conditions are particularly stable, monodisperse, as well as small in size. The EXAFS result showed a structural contraction in the ZnO nanoparticles relative to the bulk. These nanoparticles exhibit distinct excitonic absorption features, markedly enhanced near-bandedge UV photoluminescence, and significantly reduced defect-induced green emission. The third-order nonlinear optical response of these PVP-capped ZnO nanoparticles in a dilute solution was found to be larger than that of the bulk ZnO by at least 2 orders of magnitude.

In situ growth of ZnO nanobelt arrays from and on zinc substrates (foils and microparticles) has been accomplished by controlled thermal oxidation in the presence of oxygen. The nanobelts grow approximately perpendicular to the Zn substrate surface along the 110 direction of ZnO, which has a thickness of approximately 3-4 nm, a width tapering from about 50 to 300 nm, and a length of approximately 10-20 mum. On the basis of the structural analysis and kinetic studies, a tip-growth mechanism is proposed, which underlines the transport of Zn from the substrate to the growing tip. The ratio of UV to green photoluminescent emissions of the as-synthesized ZnO nanobelt arrays could be controlled by varying the reaction conditions. Sharp UV stimulated emission peak is also observed at moderate threshold excitation intensity ( approximately 0.7 mJ/cm(2)) showing the high quality of the ZnO nanobelts. The ZnO nanobelts array has also been tested for sensing NH(3) gas, and high sensitivity, reversibility, and rapid response have been demonstrated.

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