Phonon characteristics and photoluminescence of bamboo structured silicon-doped boron nitride multiwall nanotubes

Bamboo structured silicon-doped boron nitride multiwall nanotubes are synthesized via catalyst-assisted pyrolysis of a boron-containing polymeric precursor. The nanotubes are characterized using transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, Raman, and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscope. The results suggest that the Si dopants cause significant changes in the structure and phonon characteristics of the nanotubes as compared to pure boron nitride nanotubes. A broad photoluminescence band ranging between 500 and 800 nm is observed from the nanotubes, which is attributed to Si dopants. Study on temperature dependence of emission intensity suggests that the thermal activation energy of the nonradiative recombination process is 35 meV. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.