Structural, Optical and Magnetic Properties of Zn1-xCdxO Diluted Magnetic Semiconductors Nanoparticles

Zn1-xCdxO (x = 0, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1) nanoparticles were prepared using polyol technique. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM), ultraviolet-visible absorbance spectroscopy (Uv-Vis), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and electron spin resonance (ESR). XRD confirmed the purity of the prepared samples, where all the samples crystallized in single hexagonal wurtzite phase. The morphology of the nanoparticles is studied using SEM and HRTEM techniques. The Uv-vis studies showed a marked red shift in the energy gap values of the prepared samples with respect to the theoretical value. VSM measurements suggested that only Zn0.09Cd0.01O exhibit room temperature ferromagnetism, whereas, the other samples show diamagnetic behavior. ESR measurements spotlights on the presence of different types of defects in the prepared samples.