Fei Zhao,^a Hao-Ling Sun,^a Song Gao*^a and Gang Su^b

Received 27th May 2005, Accepted 21st July 2005

First published as an Advance Article on the web 15th August 2005

DOI: 10.1039/b507584j

Abstract:

    Europium(II) sulfide nanoparticles with an average particle size of 5.5 nm and a narrow sizeEuropium(II) sulfide nanoparticles with an average particle size of 5.5 nm and a narrow sizedistribution were synthesized by the direct and facile thermal decomposition of a molecularprecursor Eu(Phen)(Ddtc)3 (Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, Ddtc = diethyldithiocarbamate) at therelatively low temperature of 200 uC. Compared with EuS samples of 50–120 nm in size, whichshow bulk ferromagnetic ordering, the EuS nanocrystals of 5–6 nm in size show a cluster glass-likebehavior. Moreover, a quasi-ferrimagnetic behavior was observed in the smallest EuS sampleupon oxidation of the surface.