Effect of Heat Treatment on ZNS:eu Nanoparticles: Synthesis and Characterization

Abstract

ZnS is an important II-VI, direct band gap semiconductor and is a commercially important having a wide optical band gap, rendering it a very attractive material for optical application especially in nanocrystalline form. ZnS:Eu nanoparticles have been synthesized using chemical precipitation by using water as a solvent. The samples have been heat treated at 200 oC for 2 hours in nitrogen gas atmosphere and the effect on the structural and optical properties have been studied. The crystal structure and the average crystallite size of the samples have been calculated using X-ray diffraction pattern. The elemental analysis has been carried out by EDX spectroscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. The band gap of ZnS:Eu nanoparticles, with and without heat treatment, has been calculated by UV-Visible absorption spectra. Room temperature PL studies have been carried out to study the emission characteristics of synthesized nanoparticles. Structural changes have been observed in XRD pattern after heat treatment of the samples. Also the changes have been observed in optical characterization with doping and heat treatment.