Effect of annealing on photoluminescence properties in zirconium dioxide nanotubes

Nanotubular ZrO2 was synthesized using anodization of zirconium foil. The photoluminescence spectra (PL) of ZrO2 before and after annealing at 400 °C were studied. It was shown that PL intensity after thermal treatment is increased about to 5 times. Presumably this is due to the removal of adsorbed organic contaminants of electrolyte from ZrO2 surface, recharging of F-type centers and the decay of their aggregates.