Structural, optical and photoconductivity of Sn and Mn doped TiO2 nanoparticles

Abstract

The Sn and Mn doped TiO2 nanostructures were synthesized by sol–gel method. The Sn doped TiO2 nanoparticles exhibit anatase–rutile mixed phase, while the Mn doped TiO2 nanoparticles exhibit anatase phase. The Sn and Mn doped TiO2 nanoparticles are spherical in shape and show tensile strain in the host lattice. The optical band gap for these nanoparticles indicates the red shift. It has been observed that the PL intensity decreases after doping of Sn in TiO2 but it starts increasing with increase in Sn content. The pure TiO2 exhibits all the possible emission bands while Sn and Mn doped TiO2 nanoparticles show blue–green emission bands. The doping behavior of Sn and Mn on crystal phase, particle size, XRD patterns, absorption spectra, photoluminescence and photoconductivity of TiO2 nanoparticles have been described.