Structure and room-temperature ferromagnetism of Zn-doped SnO2 nanorods prepared by solvothermal method

Sn1_-xZn_xO₂ nanorods with nanoflower morphology have been synthesized by a solvothermal method. The concentration of Zn dopants is found to play an important role in tuning the morphology, size, and structure of the Sn1_-xZn_xO₂ nanorods. The local structure study through X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy reveals that the Zn atoms have successfully substituted for Sn sites in SnO ₂ lattice without forming secondary phases. The comparison of experimental X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra with simulated results shows that the substitutional doping of Zn creates numerous oxygen vacancy and Sn vacancy (V_Sn) defects in the structure. The synthesized nonmagnetic Zn ions doped SnO2 nanorods exhibit obvious room-temperature ferromagnetism, and their saturated magnetic moment is sensitive to the concentration of Zn dopants. Based on d0 ferromagnetism, the observed ferromagnetic ordering of the Sn1_-xZn_xO₂ nanorods could be related to the doping-induced V_Sn defects.