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Effect of microwave irradiations on exchange bias and spin reorientation in cr doped iron oxide thin films – Sol-Gel approach

  • Original Paper: Sol-gel, hybrids and solution chemistries
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Abstract

Microwave-assisted sol-gel method has proven to be a better alternate to conventional chemical approaches. In the present research work, chromium (Cr) doped thin films of iron oxide are prepared by modified sol-gel method, i.e. by using microwaves. Samples are prepared with microwave power of 720 W, whereas doping is varied in the range of 0 to 14 wt%. Maghemite phase (γ-Fe2O3) is observed for undoped sample, whereas hematite (α-Fe2O3) is observed for the samples prepared with 2–4 wt% Cr doping. Magnetite (Fe3O4) phase of iron oxide is observed at relatively higher doping concentrations, i.e. 6–10 wt%. Ferromagnetic behaviour along with high saturation magnetization is observed with the increase in Cr doping concentration. Increased value of squareness is observed at higher Cr concentration, i.e. 6–14 wt%. Higher value of saturation magnetization (Ms) is observed with 10 wt% Cr doping i.e. ~83 emu/g, whereas decrease in Ms is witnessed with further increase in dopant concentration to 12–14 wt%. Impedance measurements show that transport mechanism in Cr doped Fe3O4 is governed by tunnelling across the grain boundaries. Room temperature coupling of magnetic and dielectric behavior is observed under the effect of different frequency values.

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Funding

Authors acknowledge the financial support of University of the Punjab under Project No. D/212/Est. II.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Excellence in Solid State Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore, 54590, Pakistan

    Sidra Khalid, Imran Sadiq, Shahzad Naseem & Saira Riaz

  2. Department of Physics, University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

    Sidra Khalid & Zaheer H. Shah

  3. Division of Science and Technology, University of Education, Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

    M. Imran

  4. Department of Physics, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan

    Zohra N. Kayani

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Contributions

SK contributed to synthesis and preparation of the initial draft. MI contributed to synthesis. ZHS performed magnetic analysis. ZNK contributed to the electronic results. IS performed structural data analysis. SN performed overall supervision and preparation of the final draft. SR performed research design and overall supervision.

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Correspondence to Saira Riaz.

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Khalid, S., Imran, M., Shah, Z.H. et al. Effect of microwave irradiations on exchange bias and spin reorientation in cr doped iron oxide thin films – Sol-Gel approach. J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 107, 794–809 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-023-06151-5

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