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Nano-ZnO and ZnO doped with Cu: Mn samples (Mn = 2% and Cu = 2% and 4%) have been synthesized by combustion synthesis. The effect of Cu content (Cu/Mn co-dopant) on the structural, optical, and magnetic properties has been studied. X-ray diffraction studies revealed hexagonal Wurtzite structure, and the particle size is around 36–18 nm. From scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, morphology of all the samples was spherical in shape with high porous structure. The elemental composition of the synthesized samples was investigated using energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), which confirmed the presence of selective elements in the samples near stoichiometric ratio. FTIR spectra confirmed the presence of functional groups in synthesized samples. From UV–Vis absorbance spectra, blue shift is observed with increasing dopant concentration. From VSM studies, the enhanced magnetization properties were observed in doped samples. From photoluminescence (PL) studies, decrease in rate of recombination of electron–hole pairs is observed. The simultaneous enrichment of magnetic and optical properties of Cu doped ZnO: Mn nanoparticles can be used in future spintronic and optoelectronic devices.

ZnO nanoparticles at different temperatures were synthesized by using the combustion method. The effect of synthesis temperature on the properties of the nanoparticles was studied by using XRD, FESEM, EDS, TEM, photoluminescence (PL), Raman, diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), and VSM characterization techniques. The XRD results reveal that the grown nanoparticles have a hexagonal wurtzite structure without any impurities and agreed with EDS results. FESEM and TEM micrographs show that the ZnO nanoparticles possess a spherical shape with agglomeration free, and the size increases with increase of synthesis temperature. From DRS studies, it was noticed that the band gap decreases with increase of synthesis temperature. In PL studies, blue peak at 465 nm may be due to defect-related transitions. A sharp intense peak in Raman spectra at 485 cm−1 represents E2H mode is a characteristic of a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The magnetic studies show that the magnetization decreases from 0.0172 to 0.0042 emu/g as the synthesis temperature increases from 400 to 550 °C. ZnO synthesized at 500 °C has a large squareness ratio. These materials are potential candidates for memory devices.

A simple sol-gel technique is used to synthesize zero-dimensional pure and Er-doped BiFeO3 (BFO) nanoparticles. The effect of Er dopant on morphology, structure, optical, magnetic, and photoluminescence properties of single-phase BFO was studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies reveal that the structural phase transformation is noticed from rhombohedral to orthorhombic with substitution of Er to pure BFO. From scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), morphology of the synthesized samples were spherical in shape. Agglomeration and particle size reduced with substitution of Er, particle size is around ∼ 30 nm. Energy-dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX) spectra confirms the presence of selective elements in synthesized samples. Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) confirms that all the bonds strongly correspond to BFO. The substitution of Er in BFO nanoparticles also demonstrates a strong reduction in optical band-gap energy compared with pure BFO. Magnetization studies were carried out by using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and the saturation magnetization increases with increasing substitution of Er. A photoluminescence (PL) spectrum reveals that the substitution of Er suppressed the recombination of electron-hole pairs.

Nanoparticles (Nps) of Ba (0, 1 to 5 at.%)-doped BiFeO3 were synthesized by a sol-gel route at 100 °C using tartaric acid as a chelating agent. The obtained results were studied by using XRD, SEM with EDAX, TEM, UV-vis diffusion reflectance spectra, VSM, and impedance analyzer. EDAX spectra confirmed the presence of Bi, Ba, and Fe in the samples. X-ray diffraction studies showed that BiFeO3 and Bi1−xBaxFeO3 samples exhibited the expected rhombohedral perovskite structure up to a Ba concentration of 3%, whereas 4 and 5% of Ba concentration exhibited the tetragonal phase. TEM studies indicate the particle sizes in the range of 08–28 nm. Reflectance spectra measurements showed a decrease in band gap with increasing Ba concentration. Magnetic properties indicated that the undoped BiFeO3 and Ba-doped BiFeO3 samples were ferromagnetic at room temperature. The dielectric constant (e′) and loss (e″) show large dispersion behavior. The dielectric constant increases with an increase of dopant concentration, but a very high value of the dielectric constant was noticed for x = 0.05.

In the era of modern technology, the development of spintronic devices using diluted magnetic semiconductor nanoparticles has drawn significant attention from the world researchers. In this work, we report on novel Cu1−x Mn x S (x = 0.00, 0.01, 0.03 and 0.05) compounds synthesized at room temperature through a simple precipitation method via EDTA as a capping agent. XRD patterns suggested that the entire synthesized nanoparticles exhibit covellite-phase hexagonal configuration like CuS. Reflectance measurements indicated energy band gap reduction by augmentation of Mn content. Photoluminescence spectra of prepared nanoparticles showed strong blue, green and weak yellow emissions at 471, 533 and 583 nm, respectively. The room-temperature VSM measurements suggested that bare CuS showed a diamagnetic nature, while Mn-doped CuS nanoparticles exhibited paramagnetism, which is enhanced with increasing Mn dopant concentration.

The authors have presented synthesis and structural and magnetic properties of Tb (0, 2, 4, and 6 at.%)doped ZnS semiconducting nanoparticles and employed via chemical co-precipitation process using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as capping agent. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) studies confirm the formation of singlephase, cubic structure, nanometric samples (˜10 nm). Highresolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses of the suspensions revealed the size of the particles in the range 5–8 nm. The undoped ZnS sample displayed the expected diamagnetic behavior and the terbiumdoped ZnS samples exhibited room temperature paramagnetic character as a function of Tbdoping concentration.The observed paramagnetism may be due to the random distribution of the terbium ions into the ZnS crystal lattice giving rise to the formation of feeble interaction.

Cr-doped ZnS nanoparticles with Cr concentrations of 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 atm.% were successfully synthesized by the chemical co-precipitation method using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as the capping agent. The structural, optical and magnetic properties of the prepared samples were studied. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) measurements showed the presence of Cr in the Cr-doped ZnS. No mixed phase was observed from X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies and all the peaks were indexed to the cubic phase of ZnS. The average diameter of the particles was in the range of 6–10 nm, and it was confirmed by TEM studies. The magnetic behavior of the nanoparticles for different chromium concentrations was investigated by magnetism measurements using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The nanoparticles with lower Cr concentration exhibited strong ferromagnetism, where as in samples of higher Cr concentrations the ferromagnetism suppressed. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of the nanocrystals showed the resonance of electron centers with a g-value of 1.989. The signal intensity and linewidth of the EPR signal increased with increasing Cr content. FTIR studies indicated that the nanoparticles were sterically stabilized by EDTA.

The titlematerial is one of the least studied among the II-VI alloy systems. So far it has not been possible to prepare ZnTe in n-type and CdSe in p-type with appreciable conductivities. Moreover ZnTe crystallises in zincblende whereas CdSe crystallises in wurtzite structure. Because of the varied nature of the end compounds, an attempt has been made to prepare single crystals of (ZnTe)x(CdSe)1−x in the entire range of ‘x’. The alloy material in the entire range Xof composition in the single crystalline form was grown by a modified Piper-Plich method. The grown crystals of this alloy system have been subjected to chemical analysis. DTA and DTG studies carried out on these alloys did not show any phasec transitions. However two exothermic peaks associated with increase in mass were noticed. This has been attributed to oxidation effects of Se/Te or Cd/Zn. XRD data though showed some regularity near end compositions there is still some ambiguity for the middle compositions. Energy gap obtained from reflection spectra and also photocurrent spectral response showed bowing. However, there is a marked different feature at one of the end regions. The growth and the results of all the above mentioned investigations are presented and discussed in this paper.