White Light Emitting Magnetic ZnO:Sm Nanoparticles Prepared by Inclusive Co-Precipitation Synthesis

Inclusion of rare earth Samarium as dopant in nanoparticles of ZnO has been achieved by co-precipitation in highly alkaline medium near room temperature. Substitutional doping of Sm in Zn position in the ZnO lattice could be inferred through change in lattice parameters in response to Sm doping concentration. Dopant Sm enhances broad visible emission of ZnO thus making it a bright white light emitter under UV (300-380 nm) excitation. Observation of room temperature intrinsic ferromagnetism with optimal Sm doping in ZnO:Sm suggests unpaired spin in Sm3+ at zinc substitutional sites could create spin ordering and long range ferromagnetic coupling. Such white light emitting magnetic nanoparticles of ZnO:Sm can have immense potential as LED phosphor and spin LED semiconductor.