Influence of Fe doping on the structural, optical and magnetic properties of ZnS diluted magnetic semiconductor

Abstract

Fe doped ZnS nanoparticles with different concentrations of Fe, synthesized by microwave assisted co-precipitation method have been reported. The incorporation of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions into ZnS lattice are confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Electron Paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study. XRD and High Resolution Transmission electron Microscope (HRTEM) results confirm the phase purity of the samples and indicate a reduction of the particle size with increase in Fe concentration. EDAX analysis confirms the presence of Zn, S and Fe in the samples. A yellow–orange emission peak is observed in Photoluminescence (PL) spectra which exhibits the Characteristic 4T2 (4G)–6A1 (6S) transition of Fe3+ ion. The room temperature magnetic studies as analyzed from M–H curves were investigated from vibrating samples magnetometer (VSM) which shows a weak ferro and superparamagnetic like behavior in 1% and 3% Fe-doped ZnS nanocrystals, whereas; at 10% Fe-doping concentrations, antiferromagnetism behavior is achieved. The ZFC-FC measurement reveals that the blocking temperature of the nanoparticle is above the room temperature.