Structural Properties of Manganese-Doped Zinc Selenide Nanoparticles Synthesized by High-Energy Ball Milling: An X-ray Diffraction and Raman Spectroscopic Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/fjorae.2026.0301.89Keywords:
Diluted magnetic semiconductor, ZnSe:Mn nanoparticles, High-energy ball milling, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Crystallite sizeAbstract
The structural properties of manganese-doped zinc selenide (ZnSe:Mn) nanoparticles, with an average particle size of approximately 3.5 nm, were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Samples were synthesized by high-energy ball milling for 15, 30, and 40 h, with Mn content kept at 0.3%. XRD analysis identified three coexisting mineral phases–stilleite (ZnSe), selenium (Se), and zincite (ZnO)–and confirmed a cubic zincblende structure for stilleite alongside hexagonal structures for selenium and zincite, consistent with Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards (JCPDS) reference data. Crystallite sizes, calculated using the Debye–Scherrer equation, decreased with increasing milling time, ranging from 34.8 Å to 29.4 Å, indicating progressive lattice refinement during milling. Raman spectra, recorded using a 514 nm excitation laser (0.75 mW), revealed dominant vibrational bands at 416, 866, 1782, and 2874 cm⁻¹, attributable to Mn-related lattice modes. The combined XRD and Raman results confirm successful incorporation of Mn into the ZnSe lattice and demonstrate that high-energy ball milling is a viable, low-cost route for producing nanostructured diluted magnetic semiconductors with tunable structural properties.
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