We present a study of the dilute magnetic and optical properties of Mn-doped ZnO nanowires (Nws) fabricated by means of a liquid phase evaporation deposition process. The samples were grown using a mixed Zn/Mn liquid source with a mol ratio of Mn 10% in a constant O2/Ar gas at 580°C. The nanowires show a strong UV emission at 405 nm and a blue emission at 433 nm in the photoluminescence spectrum. In addition, they present a strong reversible smooth ferromagnetic hysteresis loop at room temperature, and the corresponding saturation magnetization Msis up to 0.015 emu/g Oe, showing that the nanowires are of a ferromagnetism semiconductor (DMS). With the strong magnetic and photoluminescence properties, ZnO : Mn Nws will be used in fields of making electromagnetic devices and magneto-optical storage devices.
Synthesis, Structural and Optical Properties of Mn Doped ZnO with its Photocatalytic Activity