Room temperature magnetic ordering and analysis by bound magnetic polaron model of Yb3+ doped nanocrystalline zinc oxide (Zn0.98Yb0.02O)
Highlights: • ZnO and Yb doped ZnO are synthesized by co-precipitation method. • Rietvelt anlysis of XRD patterns confirms the complete substitution of Yb{sup 3+} in ZnO. • Vacancy and defect mediated RTFM is introduced in doped ZnO. • BMP model successfully analyze the magnetic property of Zn{sub 0.98}Yb{sub 0.02}O. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline ZnO and Yb-doped ZnO (Zn{sub 0.98}Yb{sub 0.02}O) are prepared by simple co-precipitation method. The pure crystallographic phases of ZnO and Zn{sub 0.98}Yb{sub 0.02}O are confirmed by Rietveld analyses of XRD patterns. Raman and photoluminescence spectra recorded at room temperature (RT) indicates that lattice defects and oxygen vacancy in Zn{sub 0.98}Yb{sub 0.02}O is more than that of ZnO. Magnetic measurements of ZnO and Zn{sub 0.98}Yb{sub 0.02}O are carried out from 300 to 5 K. Ferromagnetic ordering is observed in Zn{sub 0.98}Yb{sub 0.02}O at RT and the strength of the ordering increases with the lowering of temperature. Ferromagnetism of Zn{sub 0.98}Yb{sub 0.02}O is attributed to the oxygen vacancy introduced by annealing in vacuum. Magnetization vs. temperature curve is well fitted by the combination of 3D spin wave and Curie-Weiss law, which suggest simultaneous presence of para- and ferro-magnetic phases in Zn{sub 0.98}Yb{sub 0.02}O. Ferromagnetic ordering is successfully explained by vacancy mediated bound-magnetic polaron model.