Cathodoluminescence of boron nitride nanotubes doped by ytterbium

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are wide band gap semiconducting material with super thermal and chemical stabilities, which make them an ideal nano-sized host for luminescent ions. In this work, we report an in situ synthesis of Ytterbium (Yb) doped BNNTs using a ball milling and annealing approach. Yb doped BNNTs show more red-light emissions in the cathodoluminescent (CL) spectrum in comparison with pure BNNTs. The light emission is due to the insertion of Yb ions into the nanotube wall as the BNNTs serve as a host and contribute directly to the light emission. The cathodoluminescent image demonstrates strong cathodoluminescent emission of whole Yb doped BNNTs. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.