Abstract
Vanadium-doped Zn
2SiO
4 particles embedded in silica host matrix were prepared by a simple solid-phase reaction under natural atmosphere at 1200
°C after the incorporation of ZnO:V nanoparticles in silica monolith using sol–gel method with supercritical drying of ethyl alcohol in two steps. The obtained sample, exhibits a strong PL band in the visible range at 540
nm and two thin emission lines in the UV range at 394 and 396
nm under intensive power excitation. Photoluminescence excitation (PLE) measurements show different origins of the emission bands. It is suggested that radiative defects attributed to vanadium in the interfaces between Zn
2SiO
4 particles and SiO
2 host matrix resulting from heat treatment and zinc oxide excitonic emissions, were responsible for theses luminescence bands.