Fabrication and Characterization of Single-Crystalline Nanostructured Zn 1-x Mn x S

Abstract

Single-crystalline nanostructured Zn1-xMnxS, a diluted magnetic semiconductor, was achieved via a simple vapour phase deposition on silicon substrates. Morphology, structure, and composition of the nanostructured Zn1-xMnxS were studied by using x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. The nanostructured Zn1-xMnxS is composed of nanowires and nanobelts, which are quite flexible and free of defects. Both of them have smooth and straight surfaces with lengths over 10 μm. They possess cubic structure with a principal axis along their axes. The nanostructured Zn1-xMnxS exhibits paramagnetic behaviour. Photoluminescence study shows a blue band and a yellow band, which are due to the surface states and the transitions of Mn2+ (4T 1(G)-6A1(S)), respectively. The growth of the nanostructured Zn1-xMnxS could be explained by a self-catalyst growth mechanism.