Dual emissive Sn(1-2x) Cux Cox O2 nanostructures - A correlation study of doping concentration on structural, optical and electrical properties

A simplistic chemical co-precipitation route was adapted to synthesize Sn(1-2x) Cu-x Co-x O-2 (x = 0, 0.01 and 0.03) nanoparticles. The structural studies were carried out using X-ray diffraction pattern and the shift in diffraction peak, lattice constant and particle size with doping concentration was determined. The morphology of nanoparticles with an average size of 13-18 nm was observed using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. A significant increase in the absorption edge with an increase in doping concentration was observed using ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy. Further, the blue-shifted band gap value was plotted using Tauc's relation. The near-band-edge emission at 3.9 eV and the deep-level-emission at 2.4 eV were systematically examined by photoluminescence spectroscopy. The dependence of doping concentration on temperature-reliant electrical conductivity was examined using DC electrical measurements. A meticulous exploration on diffraction peak shift, the Burstein-Moss shift, the mechanism for dual emission and the decreased electrical conductivity in Sn(1-2x) Cu-x Co-x O-2 nanostructures were further discussed. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.