Structural, optical and Raman studies of template-free solvothermally synthesized ZnSe/ZnSe:Ce3+ nanoparticles

The present work reports a general, single step and easy solvothermal method to synthesize well crystallized and pure phase Ce3+ doped ZnSe nanocrystals for the first time in a unified system. The products were well characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis spectroscopy (UV–vis), photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction (EDAX) and Raman spectroscopy. The products were found to show significant finite size effect as characterized by broadened XRD peaks, blue-shifts of the interband optical absorption edge and the asymmetric broadening of Raman spectra. The emission intensity of Ce3+ ion doped ZnSe was found to be considerably increased with respect to the pure one. The observed lineshape of LO modes indicates broadening that is due to the nanosized effect. The structure and properties were correlated and detailed growth mechanism is also discussed.