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The impact of sulfur deficiency on the structural, optical and photoluminescence properties of Zn0.75Cd0.25S quantum dots

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Zn0.75Cd0.25Sx (x = 1, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, 0.5) quantum dots were produced via thermolysis method. The structure and microstructures behaviors of Zn0.75Cd0.25Sx were examined using Rietveld refinement for the X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. A portion of the integrated O binds with Zn to create a segregated ZnO phase beside ZnS phase. The threshold sulfur deficiency with some O content incorporation into the Zn0.75Cd0.25Sx lattice without generating a new phase (ZnO) is x = 0.6. Zinc sulfide is the predominant phase, while the percentage of ZnO rises with increasing S deficiency (x). Zn0.75Cd0.25S0.8 has homogeneous spherical particle morphology with a very small size 2–4 nm, consistent with the XRD value. Zn0.75Cd0.25S0.8 has a homogeneous spherical particle morphology with very small size of 2–4 nm. The disorder’s characteristics and defects were examined through Urbach energy analysis. The optical dielectric constant, optical conductivity and nonlinear optical parameters were calculated for all samples. The optical band gap lowers as the sulfur content increases up to x = 0.6, eventually reaching 2.71 eV. With a reduction in sulfur content to x = 0.5, two optical band gaps (2.8, 3.16) eV were obtained. The refractive index (n) values obtained using different models for all samples. As the molar ratio (x) of Zn/Cd to S increased, the PL emission peak of Zn0.75Cd0.25Sx nanoparticles exhibited a Stokes shift caused by S vacancies. The emitted colors from each samples were obtained by using Gaussian fitting for PL spectra. The fluorescence intensity greatly increased by increasing the S deficiency reaching its maximum value at x = 0.6.

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Acknowledgements

The authors extend their appreciation to Taif University, Saudi Arabia, for supporting this work through project number (TU-DSPP-2024-44).

Funding

This research was funded by Taif University, Saudi Arabia, Project No. (TU-DSPP-2024-44).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

    Zein K. Heiba & Mohamed Bakr Mohamed

  2. Spectroscopy Department, Physics Research Institute, National Research Centre, El-Behooth St, Dokki, 12622, Cairo, Egypt

    Asmaa M. Abozied

  3. Department of Physics, University College of Turabah, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Ali Badawi

  4. Department of Physics, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Saif A. Mouhammad

  5. Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Taibah University, Medina, Saudi Arabia

    Mohamed Bakr Mohamed

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All authors contributed equally to carrying out the present study. They wrote, read and approved the final manuscript.

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Heiba, Z.K., Abozied, A.M., Badawi, A. et al. The impact of sulfur deficiency on the structural, optical and photoluminescence properties of Zn0.75Cd0.25S quantum dots. Appl. Phys. A 130, 503 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-024-07667-5

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