Size controlled and optical properties of Zn- doped SnO2 nanoparticles via sol-gel process

Zn- doped SnO2 nanocrystallites were prepared by taking SnCl4 center dot 5H(2)O as precursor, using water as a solvent via sol-gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR),Thermal gravimmetry spectrometry (TGA),Scanning electron microscopy (SEM),Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), UV-Vis spectroscopy and Photoluminescence (PL) were used to analyzed the crystal structure, particle size, molecular structures and optical properties of the prepared SnO2 nanoparticles. The XRD pattern revealed that the tetragonal rutile phase and the average crystallites size were calculated to be 10 nm for Zn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles calcined at 600 degrees C. The spherical-like morphology of the as-synthesized Zn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles was observed in the SEM and TEM studies. Zn-doped SnO2 nanoparticles were exhibit enhanced UV emission at similar to 394 nm and could be used as nanoscale optoelectronic devices