https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-020-00740-x
Regular Article
An impact of La doping content on key physical properties of PbS spherical nanoparticles facilely synthesized via low temperature chemical route
1
Advanced Functional Materials and Optoelectronics Laboratory (AFMOL), Department of Physics, College of Science, King Khalid University, 61413, Abha, Saudi Arabia
2
Department of Physics, Rayat Shikshan Sanstha’s Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil College, 400703, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
3
Department of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, 11671, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
4
King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology, King Saud University, 11451, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
5
Department of Physics, IK Gujral Punjab Technical University, 144603, Jalandhar, India
a
shkirphysics@kku.edu.sa
f
saalfaify@kku.edu.sa
Received:
30
June
2020
Accepted:
1
September
2020
Published online:
13
October
2020
Herein, we are reporting a facile chemical process to attain high-grade PbS spherical nanoparticles with diverse La doping contents at low temperature and named it as La@PbS SNPs. All the prepared La@PbS SNPs samples are of single-cubic phase with good crystalline nature confirmed from XRD and Rietveld refinement. Along with lattice constants several other structure-related parameters like size, dislocations, strain, stacking fault, density and specific surface area were calculated. EDX and SEM-e-mapping analyses confirm the presence of La in PbS with homogeneous distribution throughout the samples. For morphological investigation FESEM was employed, which approved the synthesis of SNPs of low dimensions at all La contents. FT-Raman analysis shows characteristics vibrational modes related to cubic-PbS and that is in good accordance with XRD outcomes. Energy gap values were determined through Kubelka–Munk procedure and noticed to lie between 1.01 to 1.103 eV (
, this shows a very minute shift in energy gap with La doping in PbS. Dielectric constant (
), loss tangent, dielectric loss and impedance values were assessed and stable values of were noticed in 20–50 range and 5.0 wt % La@PbS SNPs possesses highest value. The ac electrical conductivity analysis revealed enhancement with La content in PbS. The correlated barrier hoping mechanism was involved in the prepared La@PbS SNPs. Furthermore, the DC electrical properties were studied and discussed the impact of La content.
© Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
