Ultrasound-assisted synthesis, characterization and optical property of 0-3 wt% Sn-doped ZnO

Sn-doped ZnO samples were successfully synthesized by an ultrasonic solution method, and characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. All samples were specified as hexagonal wurtzite ZnO with flower-like structure for pure ZnO and 1 wt% Sn-doped ZnO, and with agglomerates of nanoparticles for 2 and 3 wt% Sn-doped ZnO. Room temperature UV-visible spectra exhibited 373 nm band edge absorption for wurtzite hexagonal pure ZnO, and were red-shift broad absorption bands from ultraviolet for pure ZnO to visible region for 1, 2 and 3 wt% Sn-doped ZnO. The improvement of visible absorption in the Sn-doped ZnO samples was suggested to be the result of lattice defects caused by Sn dopant. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.