Structural, optical and magnetic properties of Mn diffusion-doped CdS thin films prepared by vacuum evaporation

► Cadmium sulphide thin films were deposited by vacuum evaporation. ► Elemental Mn was deposited onto CdS thin films by using electron beam evaporation and annealed under vacuum at different temperatures. ► Structural, optical and magnetic studies of Mn-doped CdS have been investigated. ► X-ray diffraction results showed that the undoped CdS film had a zinc-blende structure with a strong preferred orientation along the (1 1 1) direction. ► Magnetic measurements show that Mn-doped CdS thin films exhibit a ferromagnetism behavior at room temperature.