Optik 127 (2016) 1–5 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Optik journal homepage: www.elsevier.de/ijleo Synthesis and analysis of photoluminescence properties of In and Sn doped nickel oxide powders Smita Jain a,∗ , Purnima Swarup Khare a , Devendra K. Pandey b a Department of Physics, UIT Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV) Bhopal, State Technological University, 462033, India b School of Nanotechnology Rajiv Gandhi Prodyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (RGPV) Bhopal, State Technological University, 462033, India article info Article history: Received 5 March 2016 Accepted 25 April 2016 Keywords: Nickel oxide Photoluminescence Sol-gel abstract In this paper we have reported a simple but effective route for synthesis of indium and tin doped nickel oxide nano-particles (NiO) via sol gel method. This method provides bet- ter results by controlled heat treatment. With this procedure nanoscale, well crystalline particles of the Nickel oxide and NiO:In & NiO:Sn can be synthesized. As prepared pow- dered material was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction technique for structural and phase analysis whereas for optical properties photoluminescence study is performed. The samples are having a combined fcc-hcp crystal structures with the crystalline size in nanometer range. Micrometer scale clusters are obtained in powdered Nickel Oxide sam- ples. Pure NiO showed two broad peaks at 468 nm & 546 nm while NiO:In exhibit emission at 300 nm, 334.6 nm, 468.6 nm and 556 nm and NiO:Sn shows emissivity at 300 nm, 334.6 nm, 468.6 nm and 556 nm. Some other weak peaks also observed in the emission spectra of NiO:In & NiO:Sn at 800 nm and 820 nm. Thus conclusively due to the doping an increase in emissivity, intensity and change in wavelength has been observed. © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Nanostructure transition metal oxides are attractive materials due to their novel and easy to alter properties. In the series of transition metal oxides NiO is one of the promising materials with wide band gap [1]. It is a p-type semiconductor and also anti-ferromagnetic in nature, as it shows two structures FCC and HCP thus its applicability and efficiency are the size and structure dependent. It has various applications in electrochemical super-capacitor, photocathode and smart windows [1]. The synthesized Nickel Oxide shows high stability so it can be stored in normal conditions. Earlier many chemical and physical synthesis processes have discussed by researchers but above all this sol gel method is effective one. Nickel Oxide is under observation for the emission properties but complexity remains in the optimizing the optical properties [1,2]. In this work we concentrated on the synthesis and photoluminescence properties comparison between pure Nickel Oxide and doped with Indium, Tin nano-particles. The crystalline phases of the synthesized material were identified by X-ray diffraction while the emission pattern and alteration in emission spectra by doping is analyzed by photo luminescence. ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail address: jain.mini0809@gmail.com (S. Jain). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2016.04.130 0030-4026/© 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.