Crystal field, phonon coupling and emission shift of Mn2+ in ZnS:Mn nanoparticles

The Mn2+ emission wavelengths are at 591, 588, 581 and 570 nm, respectively, for the similar to 10, similar to4.5, similar to3.5 nm sized nanoparticles and the ZnS:Mn nanoparticles formed in an ultrastable zeolite-Y. To reveal the cause for the shift, the crystal field and phonon coupling were investigated. The results show that the predominant factor for the shift is the phonon coupling, whose strength is size dependent and is determined by both the size confinement and the surface modification of the nanoparticles. Although the crystal field strength decreases with the decreasing of the particle size, its change has little contribution to the emission shift of Mn2+ in ZnS:Mn nanoparticles. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.