Electrical, dielectric, photoluminescence and magnetic properties of ZnO nanoparticles co-doped with Co and Cu

X-ray diffraction spectra of Zn0.96−xCu0.04CoxO (0≤x≤0.04) nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation method confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure without any secondary phase formation. The dielectric dispersion was high at lower frequencies and almost frequency independent at higher frequencies. The observed higher dielectric constant, dielectric loss and ac conductivity in Co=2% doped Zn0.96Cu0.04O samples was explained in terms of average crystalline size and number of nano-dipoles. Photoluminescence spectra of undoped and Co-doped Zn0.96Cu0.04O samples showed four distinct bands, (i) ultra violet emission bands around 382-391 nm, (ii) violet emission band centered at 417 nm, (iii) blue emission bands centered at 478 nm and (iv) green emission bands centered at 523 nm. The observed minimum of Igreen/Iblue revealed that Co=1% doped Zn0.96Cu0.04O sample had minimum defects sites and vacancies and it saturated after Co=3% doping. Undoped Zn0.96Cu0.04O sample had higher magnetization and it was suppressed by Co-doping due to the enhanced antiferromagnetic interaction between neighbouring Cu-Cu ion.