Synthesis and characterization of bismuth doped barium sulphide nanoparticles

Abstract We have synthesized BaS:Bi nanocrystalline powder of average grain size 35 nm by solid-state diffusion method using sodium thiosulphate as a flux. During this work we have optimized the nature and amount of flux, amount of the dopant and temperature of firing for maximum yield of photoluminescence. The samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) method, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) and UV–visible techniques. On excitation by 425 nm, these nanophosphors give one emission peak at 575 nm which corresponds to green color. In the excitation spectra of these particles there are two peaks at 350 nm and 425 nm. The effect of dopant concentration on the photoluminescence of BaS:Bi nanocrystallites has been studied which is in agreement with the principle of concentration quenching. The energy band gap of bismuth doped BaS nanopowder has been calculated to be 4.25 eV and is blue shifted in comparison to their bulk counterparts. The blue shift may be due to the quantum confinement in the particles.