Structural, optical and magnetic characterization of nanorod-shaped polycrystalline Zn1−xMnxO films synthesized using sol–gel technique

The structural, optical and magnetic properties of nanorod structured polycrystalline Zn1−xMnxO3 films $$\left( {0 \le x \le 0.1} \right)$$ grown on glass substrate using Sol–Gel technique have been investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals average grain sizes from 15 to 25 nm. There was gradual increase in both the crystallite size and lattice constant with increase in Mn content up to 0.2%, and then decrease of them with further increase in Mn content. The same result has been confirmed by SEM experiments. It has been revealed that the band gap value of Zn1−xMnxO film decreases from 3.34 to 2.97 eV with an increase in Mn concentration from x = 0.0 to 0.1, which is in agreement with the previously reported results. The studies of the magnetization and magnetic resonance of Zn1−xMnxO films revealed the presence of the paramagnetic state without any magnetic ordering.