Electrochemical growth and physical properties of Mg-Doped ZnO nanorods: An experimental and theoretical study

In this paper, the effect of Mg on the structural, morphological, and optical properties of ZnO and Mg-doped ZnO was investigated. ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by two-step electrodeposition and characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, UV–Vis, and PL. All samples exhibited a hexagonal wurtzite structure with preferred orientation. With increasing Mg concentration, the (002) peak intensity decreased, and the crystallite size varied from 34 to 14 nm. SEM images indicated morphological changes in the ZnO nanorods and a loss of their vertical alignment, while the optical bandgap widened from 3.12 to 3.26 eV. PL analysis indicated localized states due to strain from Mg substitution. Experimental results agreed with theoretical predictions, confirming the effectiveness of Mg doping in tuning the optical properties of ZnO nanorods for optoelectronic applications.