The influence of nickel concentration on photoluminescence spectra of ZnSe:Ni samples

Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnSe samples grown by iodine transport method and doped with Ni during the growth process and grown from the melt and doped with Ni by diffusion from a gas phase are investigated in visible and infrared (IR) ranges at 77 and 300 K. It is shown that under sub-band excitation, the PL spectra for the undoped samples of both types are similar and may be attributed to self-activated luminescence with participation of iodine- and VZn-based centres. The PL study for ZnSe samples doped with Ni carried out at various Ni concentrations, temperatures, and excitation intensities gives reason to ascribe the observed bands in near-IR and IR ranges to 3T2(F)→3T1(F) and 3T1(P)→3T1(F) intracentre transitions within the NiZn2+(d8) ion.