Transition metal co-doping has emerged as an effective strategy to tailor the magnetic and electronic properties of wide-bandgap semiconductors for spintronic applications. In this work, Cu
Cr co-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple wet-chemical precipitation method and systematically investigated for their structural, optical, magnetic, and transport properties. The nanoparticles crystallize in the cubic ZnS phase with defect-assisted absorption features, confirming successful dopant incorporation without secondary impurity phases. Optical measurements reveal bandgap tuning influenced by the combined action of Cu- and Cr-induced states. Magnetic characterization at room temperature demonstrates clear ferromagnetic hysteresis across all co-doped compositions, with the degree of ferromagnetism strongly dependent on the relative Cu:Cr ratio. Cu-rich samples exhibit enhanced saturation magnetization and soft ferromagnetic behaviour, while Cr-rich samples show reduced magnetization but increased coercivity due to competing antiferromagnetic interactions. Magneto-transport studies further reveal pronounced negative magnetoresistance, the magnitude of which correlates directly with the strength of ferromagnetic ordering. This behaviour is consistent with a bound magnetic polaron percolation mechanism mediated by sulfur-vacancy-induced carriers. The results establish Cu
Cr co-doped ZnS as a promising diluted magnetic semiconductor where room-temperature ferromagnetism and spin-dependent transport can be engineered through controlled co-doping. The tunable balance between magnetic ordering, anisotropy, and negative magnetoresistance highlights the potential of this system for spintronic and multifunctional optoelectronic applications.
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