Growth and characterization of mn doped SnO_2 nanowires, nanobelts, and microplates

Abstract

Undoped and Mn doped SnO_2 nanowires, nanobelts, and microplates have been grown by a thermal evaporation method that enables the morphology and the Mn content in the structures to be controlled. The structural and morphological characterization was carried out by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). A crystallographic model has been proposed to describe the SnO2:Mn microplates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) demonstrated the incorporation of Mn into the SnO2 lattice in concentrations up to 1.6 at % depending on the thermal treatment employed for the growth of the structures. Variations in the luminescence of the doped nanostructures as a function of the Mn content have been studied. A correlation between facets of the SnO_2:Mn microplates, identified by EBSD, with higher Mn content, and the increase of the luminescence emissions associated to, oxygen vacancies related defects was demonstrated.