Microstructure and luminescence properties of Co-doped SnO2 nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method

Co-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method, and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). It is found that the SnO 2 crystallites with the tetragonal rutile structure formed directly during the hydrothermal process without calcination. The Co-doped SnO 2 nanoparticles were spheric and well-dispersed with narrow size distribution. The crystalline size of SnO 2 decreased from 5.98 to 2.22 nm when the Co content increased from 0% to 20%. A considerable red shift in the absorbing band edge was observed with increasing of Co dopant.