Fabrication of ZnO luminescent films for nanometric light source of high-resolution optical microscope

We fabricated ZnO thin films for use as a light source of a high resolution optical microscope and characterized the properties of the films. The properties of the fabricated ZnO films were evaluated as the light source of the microscope. The cathodoluminescence intensity of the 100 nm thick ZnO film deposited on a Si₃N₄ film was enhanced significantly by high temperature annealing in N₂. The microscope images of 200 nm diameter gold particles taken using as-deposited and annealed ZnO film indicated that annealed ZnO films can provide a higher signal-to-noise ratio and a higher frame rate than the as deposited ZnO film.