SHI induced modifications in manganese doped ZnO thin films

Abstract

ZnO, a II-VI wide band gap semiconductor (3.3 eV) with high exciton energy is considered to be a key technological material in the field of optoelectronic and DMS material. ZnO thin films doped with 5% Manganese were prepared at room temperature by Sol Gel method using acetate precursors. Films were irradiated with 100 MeV Ni+7 swift heavy ions with fluences 1 × 1012 ions/cm2 using 15 UD tandem accelerator at IUAC New Delhi and its effect were studied on the structural, optical and magnetic properties of irradiated thin films. X-ray diffraction studies show that the films prepared are single phase with preferred C-axis orientation and no manganese clusters were observed in pristine and irradiated samples. Ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy shows a decrease in the band gap of irradiated thin films with the increase in the fluence rate. Magnetic field dependence of magnetization reveals weak ferromagnetism in irradiated thin films.