Microstructure and Optical Properties of ZnS:Mn nanocrystals

By using Na2S center dot 9H(2)O as source precursor and citric acid as stabilizer, ZnS:Mn nanocrystallines were synthesized by solvothermal method. They were annealed at 800 degrees C in the charcoal powder. The structure, morphology and optical properties were investigated by using X-ray diffraction spectra (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Spectrofluorophotometer respectively. The results showed that all unannealed ZnS:Mn nanocrystallines were about 3 similar to 5 nm of particle size and have cubic structure, and all annealed samples were about 30-70 nm of particle size and have mixed structure of the cubic phase and hexagonal phase. Moreover, Mn2+ took the place of Zn2+ in ZnS:Mn. With the increment of Mn2+ content, there occurred a strong emission peak at about 596nm which can be attributed to the Mn2+ leap from T-4(1) to (6)A(1). In addition, the intensity of 596nm emission peak first increased and then decreased with the increment of Mn2+ content, reaching a maximum at about 15% of Mn2+ content. After annealing Mn2+ emission peak intensity is about 20 times that before annealing, and the luminescence peak also showed slightly blue shift.