Enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism and photoluminescence behavior of Cu-doped ZnO co-doped with Mn

Abstract

Cu, Mn co-doped ZnO nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by the sol-gel technique. XRD pattern described that Mn-doping did not affect the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the samples and no secondary phases were found. The reduced crystallite size at Mn=2% is due to the suppression of grain surface growth by foreign impurity. The enhancement of crystal size after Mn=2% is due to the expansion of lattice volume produced by the distortion around the dopant ion. The better dielectric constant and conductivity noticed at Mn=2% are explained by charge carrier density and crystallite size. The suppression of broad UV band by Mn-doping is discussed based on the generation of non-radiative re..