Structure and luminescence of annealed nanoparticles of ZnS:Mn

Structural and light-emitting properties of nanoparticles of ZnS:Mn annealed in vacuum at temperatures up to 525 degrees C are presented. Annealing the 3.5 nm particles at temperatures up to 350 degrees C caused growth of some particles without substantial change in the luminescence or ZnS lattice. After annealing at 400-525 degrees C, the high-temperature wurtzite phase of ZnS appeared, accompanied by an increase of the average particle diameter to approximately 100 nm and a rearrangement of the Mn ions. Dramatic increase in cathodoluminescence emission was also observed and is compared to the structural information obtained from electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, x-ray absorption fine structure, and electron paramagnetic resonance measurements. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)06421-5].