Ultra-narrow and widely tunable Mn(2+) Emission from Single Nanocrystals of ZnS-CdS alloy

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Extensively studied Mn-doped semiconductor nanocrystals have invariably exhibited photoluminescence (PL) over a narrow energy window of width <= 149 meV in the orange-red region and a surprisingly large spectral width (>= 180 meV), contrary to its presumed atomic-like origin. Carrying out emission measurements on individual single nanocrystals and supported by ab initio calculations, we show that Mn PL emission, in fact, can (i) vary over a much wider range (370 meV) covering the deep green-deep red region and (ii) exhibit widths substantially lower (60-75 meV) than reported so far, opening newer application possibilities and requiring a fundamental shift in our perception of the emission from Mn-doped semiconductor nanocrystals.