Luminescent properties of ZnS:Mn films deposited by spray pyrolysis

The room temperature, photoluminescent properties of manganese-doped zinc sulfide films deposited by spray pyrolysis are reported. These films were deposited on Pyrex glass substrates at atmospheric pressure using air as a carrier gas. All films were polycrystalline with a wurtzite (hexagonal) structure. The manganese doping was achieved by mixing MnCl₃ with the starting solution to deposit ZnS. The photoluminescence spectra was measured at room temperature as a function of the different deposition parameters and the Mn concentration. Besides the characteristic light emission associated with Mn impurities in a ZnS matrix, a peak associated with the self-activated emission was also observed under certain deposition conditions (low substrate temperatures and/or long deposition times). The presence of chlorine impurities in the films is suggested to be associated with this emission. The Mn luminescence presents a quenching effect with the Mn concentration. This quenching effect is similar to the one reported on films deposited by other techniques. The light emission at this center has an activation energy of 0.71±0.05 eV with the deposition temperature. This energy is proposed to be related with the energy required by the Mn atoms to find a proper site during the growth process to form a Mn²⁺ center.