Temperature dependent dielectric and electric modulus properties of ZnS nano particles

Abstract

A comprehensive study of the dielectric and electric modulus properties of Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) semiconductor nanoparticles has been conducted using impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range of 200 Hz to 2 MHz and over the temperature range of 300 K to 400 K. Microscopic analysis confirms the formation of spherical nanoparticles with an average size of ∼20 nm. Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars (MWS) interfacial polarization is responsible for the increase in dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss at lower frequencies. Increase in dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss has been observed with a rise in temperature. The electric modulus complex plane plot reveals the presence of the grain (bulk) effect and non-Debye type relaxation processes in the material. The non-Debye type processes have also been confirmed by the asymmetric relaxation peaks of the imaginary part of the electric modulus. The frequency dependent maximum of the imaginary part of the electric modulus follows the Arrhenius law with an activation energy of 0.13 eV. The modulus analysis also establishes that the hopping mechanism is responsible for electrical conduction in the ZnS nanoparticles.