Correlation between chemical composition, electrical, magnetic and microwave properties in Dy-substituted Ni-Cu-Zn ferrites

Abstract

Dy3+ ion-substituted nanoferrites Ni0.4Cu0.2Zn0.4Fe2_ xDyxO4 (x <= 0.04) were produced via sol-gel method. Correlation between chemical composition, crystal structure, electrical, magnetic and microwave properties was investigated. All samples were characterized by single-phase state. It was observed that the increase of the Dy content leads to a decrease in the average crystallite size. The bandgap (Eg) was deduced to be between 1.83 and 1.86 eV. The measurements of magnetization versus applied magnetic field (M-H) and magnetization versus temperature (M-T) were investigated by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Magnetic measurements revealed superparamagnetic character at room temperature. The magnetization was increased initially with doping Dy3+ in the ratio of x = 0.01 compering to the un-doped sample and thereafter dropped as Dy3+ ions content further increases. Microwave properties were discussed in terms of electromagnetic absorption in the frequency range 1-20 GHz. The occurrences of the intensive electromagnetic absorption in the frequency ranged from 1.6 to 2.7 GHz were observed. The changes in the amplitude-frequency characteristics correlated well with the level of chemical substitution (x) with Dy ions concentration.