Improvement of optical properties of nanocrystalline Fe-doped ZnO powders through precipitation method from citrate-modified zinc nitrate solution

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2009-07, Vol.480 (2), p.603-607
• Main Authors: Rattana, T., Suwanboon, S., Amornpitoksuk, P., Haidoux, A., Limsuwan, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption; Iron; Luminescence; Materials science; Nanocrystals; Nanostructured materials; Nitrates; Optical properties; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of bulk materials and thin films; Oxide materials; Phase diagrams and microstructures developed by solidification and solid-solid phase transformations; Physics; Precipitation; Scanning electron microscopy; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Structure of specific crystalline solids; Zinc; Zinc oxide
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2009.02.011

Nanocrystalline Zn 1− x Fe x O (where x = 0, 0.01 and 0.02) powders were successfully synthesized by a precipitation method from citrate-modified zinc nitrate solution. X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy were used to study the structural properties. The optical properties were determined by UV–vis spectrophotometer and luminescent spectrometer. In this study, the optical band gap of nanocrystalline ZnO powder increased from 3.170 eV to 3.214 eV when the Fe concentration in the solution was increased up to 2 mol. %.