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Synthesis of (Mn, Fe) co-doped Zn3P2 nanoparticles: structural, optical and magnetic properties via solid-state reaction route

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Abstract

Manganese and iron (Mn–Fe) co-doped with zinc phosphide (Zn(3−(x+y)) MnxFeyP2, x = 0.02, y = 0.02,0.04,0.06, and 0.08) nanoparticles were synthesised by a solid-state method. Structural, morphological, composition, optical, photoluminescence, and magnetic properties were investigated. The characterization techniques such as XRD (X-ray diffraction), SEM (Scanning electron microscopy), EDS (Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), UV-Vis–NIR spectroscopy (Ultraviolet–Visible near-infrared region), PL (Photoluminescence), and VSM (Vibrating sample magneto meter) were employed to explore the obtained nanoparticles. The XRD analysis revealed that co-doped samples showed a tetragonal structure and no secondary phase peaks were observed in the diffraction patterns. Lattice parameters increase from a = b = 8.0211 Å, c = 11.4048 Å to a = b = 8.1408 Å, c = 11.4629 Å with increasing dopant concentration. The SEM study revealed that the size of agglomerations slightly increases with increasing dopant concentration. The elemental analysis confirmed that all the Mn-Fe co-doped Zn3P2 nanoparticles are nearly stoichiometric. The diffuse reflectance spectra were used to calculate the optical bandgap of the Mn-Fe codoped Zn3P2 nanoparticles and it increased with increase of dopant concentration (1.412–1.425 eV). PL studies confirmed all emission peaks are in the same wavelength position and slight intensity changes with increasing dopant concentration. The M–H hysteresis loop of the pure and Mn-Fe co-doped Zn3P2 nanoparticles shows weak ferromagnetism changing to strong ferromagnetism with the increase in dopant concentration. Magnetic moment obtained from the present studies suggests that the Mn–Fe co-doped Zn3P2 nanoparticles may be a useful material in semiconductor spintronics.

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Data will be made available on reasonable request. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge VIT-AP’s financial assistance provided via the RGEMS. The authors also give credit to VIT-AP University for analyzing UV–Vis–NIR data. YU-University in Kadapa for XRD, and SEM with EDAX analysis. For helping to record the PL spectra used in the current investigation, the authors are grateful to Dr. Jayasimhadri from the Department of Physics at Delhi Technological University, India. The authors also thank SAIF-IIT Madras for providing vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) facilities.

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The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.

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  1. Department of Physics, School of Advanced Sciences, VIT-AP University, Inavolu, Beside AP Secretariat, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh, 522237, India

    Nakka Praveenkumar & N. Madhusudhana Rao

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  1. Nakka Praveenkumar
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  2. N. Madhusudhana Rao
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NPK carried out the synthesis, characterizations and writing. NPK and MRN discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to N. Madhusudhana Rao.

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Praveenkumar, N., Madhusudhana Rao, N. Synthesis of (Mn, Fe) co-doped Zn3P2 nanoparticles: structural, optical and magnetic properties via solid-state reaction route. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 35, 719 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-024-12512-9

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