Synthesis, Characterization and Magnetic Property Measurementsof Zn_1-xMn_xO Nanoparticles via Vapor Phase Growth

Nanosized Mn-doped ZnO particles were synthesized using a vapor phase growth method. The x-ray analysis reveals a wurtzite ZnO structure with small expansion of the lattice constants due to the doping of Mn in ZnO. The TEM analysis shows that the nanoparticles have an average diameter around 37 nm, and energy dispersive spectroscopy detection on single nanoparticle indicates that the manganese concentration is around 3.5 at.%. Magnetization measurements under field cooling conditions reveal that the as-grown Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles show paramagnetic behaviour. This work demonstrates that Mn can be doped into nanosized ZnO structures via vapor phase growth, which represents an important step towards the synthesis of nanosized diluted magnetic semiconductors.