Low temperature synthesis, photoluminescence, magnetic properties of the transition metal doped wurtzite ZnS nanowires

In this paper, we synthesized the transition metal ions (Mn, Cu, Fe) doped and co-doped ZnS nanowires (NWs) by a one-step hydrothermal method. The results showed that the solid solubility of the Fe2+ ions in the ZnS NWs was about two times larger than that of the Mn2+ or Cu2+ ions in the ZnS NWs. There was no phase transformation from hexagonal to cubic even in a large quantity transition metal ions introduced for all the samples. The Mn2+/Cu2+/Fe2+ related emission peaks can be observed in the Mn2+,Cu2+ and Fe2+ doped ZnS NWs. The ferromagnetic properties of the co-doped samples were investigated at room temperature. The stable wurtzite ZnS:TM2+ (TM=Mn, Cu, Fe) nanowires with room temperature ferromagnetism properties were obtained. The different elongation of unit cell caused by the different doped ions was observed. [Display omitted] ► The transition metal ions doped wurtzite ZnS nanowires were synthesized at 180°C. ► There was no phase transformation from hexagonal to cubic even in a large quantity introduced for all the samples. ► The room temperature ferromagnetism properties of the co-doped nanowires were investigated.