Structural, Optical and EPR Study of Mn-Doped ZnO Nanocrystals

• Published in: Journal of low temperature physics Vol. 195; no. 5-6; pp. 391 - 402
• Main Authors: Acosta-Humánez, F., Montes-Vides, Luis, Almanza, O.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01-06-2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal structure; Electron paramagnetic resonance; Energy gap; Lattice parameters; Low temperature physics; Magnetic Materials; Magnetism; Manganese; Nanocrystals; Optical properties; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Sol-gel processes; Wurtzite; X ray analysis; Zinc oxide; Nanocrystals; Doped ZnO; EPR; Bandgap
• ISSN: 0022-2291; 1573-7357
• DOI: 10.1007/s10909-019-02170-1

This paper presents the study of manganese-doped ZnO (Zn
1−
x
Mn
x
O) nanocrystals produced using the sol–gel method. In samples calcinated at a temperature of 873 K, we analyzed the influence of the manganese concentration on the structure and optical properties of these samples. From X-ray analysis, it could be inferred that there were no other phases in the Mn-doped samples, apart from a wurtzite phase. The lattice parameters do not change significantly with Mn concentration.
c
/
a
ratio exhibits a slight deviation when it is compared with the value of an optimal hexagonal closed-packed structure. Crystal size (
D
s
) was higher for Mn-doped samples, except for ZnO with 3% Mn doped. From UV–Vis measurements, band gap (
E
g
) values showed a blueshift (reduction in bandgap) when Mn concentration was higher than 3%. Electron paramagnetic resonance results determined that Mn ions were incorporated into the ZnO lattice in place of Zn
2+
, occupying a rhombic distortion of tetrahedral local symmetry.