a b s t r a c t 57 Fe ossbauer spectroscopy following ion implantation of radioactive 57 Mn + (T 1/2 ¼ 85.4 s) has been applied to study the formation of Fe/Mn implantation-induced defects in ZnO at temperatures between 319 and 390 K. The formation of ferric iron–vacancy complexes is found to depend strongly on the implanted dose and to be faster and more efficient at higher temperatures. The results at these temperatures suggest the mobility of the Zn vacancy, together with vacancy trapping at the substitutional Mn/Fe impurities are responsible for the formation of Fe–V Zn complexes.