Near Band Edge Emission by Free Exciton Decay and Intrinsic Ferromagnetic Ordering of Cu-Doped SnO2 Hollow Nanofibers.

High quality nanocrystalline pristine and Cu-doped SnO2 hollow nanofibers were successfully prepared through simple and effective electrospinning technique. Nanofibers calcined at 600 °C for 3 h were characterized with different analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron Microscope (TEM) and Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Observed TEM images and XRD patterns were corroborate to the formation of tetragonal crystalline SnO2 hollow nanofibers with rutile phase. Excellent optical behaviour was observed for Cu-doped SnO2. Highly intense near band edge emission at 3.58 eV for Cu-doped SnO2 evidences the free exciton decay process in the hollow nanofibers. For the first time we have reported here the near band edge PL emission in Cu-doped SnO2 tubular hollow nanostructure. This study substantiates that material potential for UV-lasing application. In addition to the above, magnetic measurement ascribes that Cu-doped SnO2 exhibit the intrinsic room temperature ferromagnetism within the low field strength. The occurrence of ferromagnetism in Cu-doped SnO2 is directly related to the p-d ferromagnetic exchange coupling between the local magnetic moment of Cu2+ and the polarized valence electrons of surrounding oxygen. Over all this study provides the primary information about tunable multifunctionality of SnO2 hollow nanostructures by adding the non-magnetic Cu ions.