Optical Properties and Local Structure of Ag(I) Dopant in ZnSe:Ag Nanoparticles

Ag(I) doped ZnSe nanoparticles were synthesized using molecular cluster precursors. In the emission spectrum at 390 excitation, three emission bands, centered at 432 nm, 517 nm, and 484 nm, respectively were observed. The 432 nm and 517 nm bands can be assigned to ZnSe band-edge emission and donoraccepter emission from the vacancies and trap states in the ZnSe lattice to the Ag(I) dopant, respectively. Similarly the 484 nm band could be the result of ZnSe trap state or vacancies to Ag(I) acceptor emission or simply ZnSe trap state emission. X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS) data were collected at the Ag K–edge of the Ag(I) doped ZnSe nanoparticles. From these data it was concluded that the Ag(I) dopant occupied a variety of different environments in the ZnSe lattice.