Investigating the Influence of Doping on the Physical and Optical Behavior of Nanomaterials

Author(s): Madhavi Sharad Darekar, Praveen Beekanahalli Mokshanatha

The study involved the synthesis of Thioglycerol-capped undoped cadmium sulphide (CdS) and copper sulphide (Cu2S) nanoparticles, and Mn-doped diluted magnetic semiconductor (DMS) CdS and Cu2S nanoparticles using a room-temperature, non-aqueous chemical method. Undoped CdS and Cu2S thin films, Mn-doped CdS, and Cu2S thin films were fabricated on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates via dip coating, followed by annealing at 420°C in air for 20 minutes. The optical properties of CdS, Cu2S, CdS:Mn, and Cu2S:Mn nanoparticles were investigated using Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX) was employed to determine the chemical composition of undoped CdS and Cu2S and Mn-doped CdS and Cu2S thin films and the FTO glass substrates, with chemical composition percentages determined using mapping techniques. This study highlights the contrasting experimental outcomes of undoped and doped nanoparticles and thin films, emphasizing the advantages of doped materials in various applications over their undoped counterparts. Specifically, it aims to demonstrate the enhanced performance and suitability of doped materials in diverse settings.