Photoluminescence Quenching and Enhanced Optical Conductivity of P3HT-Derived Ho3+- Doped ZnO Nanostructures

In this article, we demonstrate the surface effect and optoelectronic properties of holmium (Ho3+)-doped ZnO in P3HT polymer nanocomposite. We incorporated ZnO:Ho3+ (0.5 mol% Ho) nanostructures in the pristine P3HT-conjugated polymer and systematically studied the effect of the nanostructures on the optical characteristics. Detailed UV-Vis spectroscopy analysis revealed enhanced absorption coefficient and optical conductivity in the P3HT-ZnO:Ho3+ film as compared to the pristine P3HT. Moreover, the obtained photoluminescence (PL) results established the improvement of exciton dissociation as a result of ZnO:Ho3+ nanostructures inclusion. The occurrence of PL quenching is the result of enhanced charge transfer due to ZnO:Ho3+ nanostructures in the polymer, whereas energy transfer from ZnO:Ho3+ to P3HT was verified. Overall, the current investigation revealed a systematic tailoring of the optoelectronic properties of pristine P3HT after inclusion of ZnO:Ho3+ nanostructures, thus opening brilliant perspectives for applications in various optoelectronic devices.