d0 ferromagnetism in undoped sphalerite ZnS nanoparticles

We report the sulfur vacancies-related d(0) ferromagnetism in undoped sphalerite ZnS nanoparticles. Systematically tune of sulfur deficiency in ZnS nanoparticles was done by selecting different synthesized temperatures and varying the ratio of hydrogen and argon in post-annealing processes. Our study suggests that such sulfur vacancies can induce the room temperature ferromagnetism. Importantly, the ferromagnetism can be modulated by changing the concentration of sulfur vacancies in the samples. This finding should be the focus of future electronic and spintronic devices. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3622303]