Growth, X-ray peak broadening studies, and optical properties of Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles

Undoped and Mg-doped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) (Zn1-xMgxO, x=0.01, 0,03, and 0.05) were grown by the sot-gel method. X-ray results showed that the products were crystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite phase. Microscopy studies revealed that the undoped ZnO NPs and Zn1-xMgxO NPs had nearly spherical and hexagonal shapes. The size-strain plot (SSP) method was used to study the individual contributions of crystallite sizes and lattice strain on the peak broadening of the undoped and Mg-doped ZnO NPs. Some physical parameters such as strain, stress, and energy-density values were calculated for all reflection peaks of the XRD corresponding to the wurtzite hexagonal phase of ZnO in the 20-100 degrees range from the SSP results. The effect of doping on the band-gap was also investigated by a photoluminescence (PL) spectrometer. The PL results showed that Mg2+ is a good dopant to control band gap of the ZnO properties. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.