STRUCTURAL AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF NANOCRYSTALLINE POWDERS OF Ni-DOPED ZnO DILUTED MAGNETIC SEMICONDUCTORS SYNTHESIZED BY SOL-GEL METHOD

This paper describes the synthesis of nanocrystalline powders of ZnO:Ni diluted magnetic semiconductor synthesized by sol-gel method. The effects of Ni doping on the structural and optical properties of ZnO:Ni nanoparticles in powder samples are investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD and Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) results indicated that the synthesized ZnO:Ni powders have a pure wurtzite structure without any significant change in the structure affected by substituting Zn with Ni. Optical absorption measurements showed absorption bands indicating the presence of Ni2+ by substitution of Zn2+. The magnetic properties of the nanocrystalline powders of ZnO:Ni have been determined by Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM). Room temperature magnetization results revealed a ferromagnetic behavior for the ZnO:Ni nanocrystalline powders..