Investigation on the microstructural, optical and magnetic properties of Ce doped ZnO nanorods

Surfactant free wet chemical route is employed to synthesize Zn1-xCexO (x = 0.01, 0.03 and 0.05) nanorods. Effects of Ce doping on the microstructural, optical and magnetic properties of the ZnO nanorods are reported. X-ray diffraction study revealed the hexagonal wurtzite phase of ZnO with formation of secondary phase corresponding to CeO2. Nanorod nature of the samples was confirmed from field emission scanning electron microscope micrograph. The systematic decrease of band gap from 3.192 to 3.177 eV with increasing Ce doping concentration from 1 to 5% was evidenced from UV–Visible characterization. The photoluminescence spectral feature confirms the presence of intrinsic defects like zinc, oxygen vacancies etc. The different functional groups were identified from Fourier transform infrared spectra. A very weak ferromagnetic ordering was observed in all the samples at room temperature. Our study suggested that the synthesized Ce doped ZnO nanorods could be useful for optical device applications in the UV region.