Tunability in the Optical and Electronic Properties of ZnSe Microspheres via Ag and Mn Doping

ZnSe microspheres with various Ag and Mn doping levels were prepared by the hydrothermal method using Zn(NO₃)₂·6H₂O and Na₂SeO₃ as precursors and N₂H₄·H₂O as the reducing agent. The effects of Ag and Mn doping on the phase composition, morphology, and optical and electrical properties of the final products were systematically investigated. A remarkable change in morphology from microspheres with a cubic sphalerite structure to rodlike structure was observed by Ag doping, while the pristine structure was nearly unchanged via Mn doping. Moreover, the band gap of ZnSe microspheres could be tunable in a broad range via controlling the Ag and Mn doping concentration, and ZnSe with high electrical properties could be obtained by doping with an appropriate concentration. The first-principle plane-wave method was carried out to explain the above mentioned experimental results.