Long wavelength emissions of periodic yard-glass shaped boron nitride nanotubes

Extraordinary and stable long wavelength emission (centered at ~685 nm) from the yard-glass shaped boron nitride nanotubes (YG-BNNTs) was observed in their cathodoluminescence and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The mechanism for this near-red light emission at ~685 nm is attributed to the periodical nature of the BNNT units with regular lattice defects. The visible-light emission from YG-BNNTs indicates that this material has great potential for applications as nano-optical and/or nano-optoelectronic devices in nanoscale surgery and spectroscopy.