Luminescence in Mn-doped CdS nanocrystals

We have synthesized Mn-doped CdS nanocrystals (NCs) with size ranging from 1.8–3 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the doped NCs differ from that of the undoped NCs with an additional peak due to Mn d-d transitions. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra along with X-ray absorption spectroscopy and PL spectra confirm the incorporation of Mn in the CdS lattice. The fact that emissions from surface states and the Mn d levels occur at two different energies, allowed us to study the PL lifetime decay behaviour of both kinds of emissions.