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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Pressure-Stabilized MnSb2 with Complex Incommensurate Magnetic Order

Marcasite-type compounds have been proposed as promising hosts of exotic magnetic quantum states, yet experimental realizations in stoichiometric, disorder-free systems remain limited. Here, we report the high-pressure stabilization and magnetic characterization of MnSb2, a marcasite-type compound that is thermodynamically metastable under ambient pressure. Single crystals were synthesized using a cubic multianvil press at 3.3 GPa and 490 °C for 24 h, and powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction confirm the orthorhombic Pnnm structure. These crystals are stable at ambient pressure for a long time up to between 450 and 500 K. Heat-capacity measurements reveal phase transitions at approximately T0 ∼ 118 K and T1 ∼ 220 K. Neutron diffraction uncovers an unconventional magnetic state below T1 ∼ 220 K. Magnetic powder neutron diffraction refinements reveal possible multiple magnetic configurations that provide comparably acceptable fits to the experimental data. While most solutions are consistent with a spin-density-wave (SDW) description, helical models systematically yield inferior agreement factors. Across a broad range of models, the Mn ordered moment reaches a maximum value of approximately 2 μB and remains predominantly collinear, with minimal canting along the c-axis. At 200 K, the magnetic propagation vector is q = (0, 0.3975, 0.3783); upon cooling, the b component increases toward 0.5, reflecting a temperature-dependent evolution of the modulation. The need for modification of the magnetic model between high and low temperatures further highlights the complex and strongly temperature-dependent nature of the magnetic order in this system. These results establish MnSb2 as a pressure-stabilized marcasite magnet with a tunable, complex magnetic state and a compelling stoichiometric platform for exploring unconventional magnetic behavior, including potential altermagnetism.

Xu, Mingyu [Michigan State University , , , ,; Iow↗
DOE OSTI2019

Interfacial transmetallation synthesis of a platinadithiolene nanosheet as a potential 2D topological insulator

The construction of two-dimensional metal complex materials is fascinating because of the structural and functional diversity of these materials. Previously, we have reported the synthesis of electroconductive nickelladithiolene (NiDT) and palladadithiolene (PdDT) nanosheets using benzenehexathiol (BHT). Down the group from Ni, Pd to Pt, there is a distinct positive shift in the reduction potential; as a result, it becomes synthetically more challenging to stabilize Pt 2+ than to form metallic Pt(0) in the presence of BHT as a reducing agent. Herein, a novel synthetic strategy for the preparation of platinadithiolene nanosheet (PtDT) using a dibutyltin-protected BHT ligand is reported, leading to transmetallation in the presence of dioxygen. Both free-standing stacked sheets and atomic layer sheets were obtained and characterized by microscopic techniques such as AFM, SEM, and TEM. To study the morphology of the sheets and determine their charge neutrality, X-ray photoelectron (XP) and infrared (IR) spectroscopic techniques were used. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis of the multilayer PtDT indicates a half-way slipped hexagonal configuration in the P 3¯1 m space group. The band structure of this PtDT exhibits a band gap at the Fermi level, which is different from that of NiDT in the staggered configuration, and a Dirac gap, indicating the possibility of 2D topological insulation at room temperature. PtDT is insulating but chemically activated by oxidation with I 2 to increase the conductivity by more than 106 folds up to 0.39 S cm –1 . The MDT sheets exhibit electrocatalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction, and the activity order is NiDT < PdDT < PtDT.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

Relationship of Chemical Composition and Moisture Sensitivity in LiNi x Mn y Co 1-x-y O 2 for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Chemical composition–moisture sensitivity relationship of LiNi x Mn y Co 1-x-y O 2 (NMC) cathode materials was investigated by exploring crystal structures, surface properties, and electrochemical performance behaviors of various commercial NMC powders: LiNi 1/3 Mn 1/3 Co 1/3 O 2 (NMC111), LiNi 0.5 Mn 0.3 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC532), LiNi 0.6 Mn 0.2 Co 0.2 O 2 (NMC622), and LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811). The NMC powders were stored in different moisture conditions: moisture-free, humidified air, or immersed in water. Rietveld refinement analysis of X-ray diffraction (XRD) data and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the crystal structure changes and the evolution of particle surfaces morphologies. The effect of moisture contamination on the electrochemical properties of NMC cathodes was studied by galvanostatic cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The moisture contamination resulted in either structural disorder or unwanted surficial deposition products, which increased a charge-transfer impedance and consequent performance degradation of battery cells. The results showed that NMC’s moisture vulnerability increased with Ni content (x) despite protective coatings on commercial particles, which stressed the necessity of alternative surface passivation strategies of Ni-rich NMC for broad applications such as electric vehicles and electrified aircraft propulsion.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Synthesis and Characterization of Sol–Gel Auto Combustion-Derived Ce/Zr-Substituted Strontium Hexaferrite Nanoparticles

In this work, Ce/Zr-substituted strontium hexaferrite (SrFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}) nanoparticles have been synthesized by the sol–gel auto combustion method and the synthesized samples were annealed at 900 {sup ∘}C for 3 h. The powder XRD pattern revealed that all the diffraction peaks match the hexagonal phase of strontium hexaferrite and the lattice parameters are determined. The VSM study revealed that the values of saturation magnetization, coercivity and remanent magnetization are decreased for the Ce/Zr-substituted strontium hexaferrite sample. Thermal analysis reveals the formation of a hexagonal phase above 670 {sup ∘}C. The specific vibration band of hexagonal ferrite was observed in the range 400–600 cm{sup −1}. The FE-SEM image shows that the particles are spherical shaped and particle size varied from 37 to 44 nm.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

RIMS analysis of isotopically tagged uranium particles with application to Intentional Forensics

Traditional nuclear forensics approaches leverage isotopic measurements for characterizing nuclear forensics signatures in fuel cycle materials. To aid in provenance assessment, isotopically perturbed transition metal taggants can be added to fuel cycle materials. We present a case study for examining natural uranium oxide powder that was tagged with isotopically perturbed Mo before and after irradiation using resonance ionization mass spectrometry. In conclusion, this method accurately and precisely measures taggant and uranium compositions, rapidly enabling the ability to clearly discriminate between tagged particles and other material with application for robust assessment of material provenance.

Forensic Anthropology↗
DOE OSTI2019

Synthesis and Characterization of Aluminum Matrix Composites Reinforced with (Ni,Cu){sub 3}Al Intermetallic Particles via Mechanical Milling Technique

This study investigates the dispersion of (Ni,Cu){sub 3}Al intermetallic particles in an aluminum matrix via low-energy mechanical milling as an alternative to conventional stir casting. The precursor powders consisted in (Ni,Cu){sub 3}Al and reactive-grade Al particles with an average size of 15 and 3 microns, respectively. The concentrations used were 3, 5, 8 and 10 wt.% of the intermetallic powders. After 4 h of milling, the obtained powders were compacted in a unidirectional press with a pressure of 930 MPa and the obtained green compacts were sintered at 500 °C in a controlled atmosphere oven for 2 h. Result showed that the bulk composites displayed an increase in the Vickers microhardness as well as an increase in compressive strength and stiffness as the percentage of dispersed particles increased. The Al-8 wt.%(Ni,Cu){sub 3}Al sample achieved the best performance and is related to the findings in SEM micrographs that showed that higher reinforcement concentration increased the formation of microporosities that reduce the decohesion of the bulk sample and impact heavily on the mechanical performance of the material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Solid-state phase transitions of two quaternary metallic fuel alloys (U-2.5Mo-2.5Ti-5.0Zr and U-1.5Mo-1.5Ti-7.0Zr in wt. %)

This study focuses on the solid-state phase transitions of two quaternary fuel alloys for fast reactors: U-1.5Mo-1.5Ti-7.0Zr (U-MT7Z) and U-2.5Mo-2.5Ti-5.0Zr (U-MT5Z). Here, the phase transitions were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS). To identify the high temperature phases, the alloys were annealed at 873K, 948K, 1023K, and 1123K (all under 72 hours). Combining those characterizations, the phase transitions are determined. In U-MT7Z, there is one phase transition observed, and it is ascribed to α + U 2 Ti → γ transition. In U-MT5Z, two transitions are found. The first transition is α → γ, while the second is U 2 Ti → γ. The γ phase onset temperature of U-MT5Z is lower than that of U-MT7Z due to the higher Mo content.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Creep behavior of an additively manufactured 9Cr steel in the as-built condition

Limited studies have evaluated the creep behavior of additively manufactured (AM) ferritic-martensitic (FM) steels. This work investigated the creep behavior of a 9Cr FM steel fabricated by powder blown directed energy deposition (DED) technique. Here, the creep testing at 550–650 °C and 150 MPa for the specimens along the deposition direction in the as-built condition, together with corresponding microstructural characterization, revealed a threshold temperature between 600 and 625 °C, below which the steel has creep resistance comparable with Grade 91 cross-welds and noticeably greater than 9Cr-1Mo steel. The threshold temperature distinguishes the creep behavior in two regimes differentiated in creep activation energy, creep deformation, and failure mechanism. Unlike the creep rupture surface ~45° from the loading direction when tested above the threshold temperature, the creep rupture for testing below the threshold temperature resembles type IV failure in the cross-welds of ferritic steels. The DED-induced layer structure in the as-built steel played a significant role on the change of creep behavior.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Martensite crystal structure in Ru-based high temperature shape memory alloys

Highlights: • A three level twinned microstructure is recognized in the β″ phase. • Wavy contrast boundaries which are typical for translation interfaces • Displacements are translations of tetragonal β′ phase, lost during transformation. • Six times bigger monoclinic cell is characterized by the disappearance of 5 translations. - Abstract: High temperature shape memory alloys RuNb and RuTa were investigated by X-ray diffraction in order to determine the structure of the low temperature β” martensite. Powder X-ray diffraction and Rietveld analysis confirm the monoclinic symmetry and allow a precise determination of the atom positions. The low temperature microstructure is the result of a martensitic transformation from a tetragonal β′ martensite. The analysis of how it is controlled by the space groups of the two phases and by their relative orientation is performed by transmission electron microscopy. A three level twinned microstructure is recognized in the β” phase. The investigation at the smallest scale twins reveals the presence of wavy contrast boundaries which are typical for translation interfaces. High resolution transmission electron microscopy images, accompanied by phase contrast imaging analysis, have been used to determine the translation vectors associated to the interfaces. These displacements are the translations of the tetragonal β′ phase which are lost during the transformation. The combination of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy investigation allows the suggestion of a global distortion mechanism that explains the atomic displacements in the β” form.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

The role of cellular structure, non-equilibrium eutectic phases and precipitates on quasi-static strengthening mechanisms of as-built AlSi10Mg parts 3D printed via laser powder bed fusion

The quasi-static loading strengthening mechanism in the as-built state of an AlSi10Mg alloy 3D-printed via Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) was thoroughly identified and quantified using state-of-the-art electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction techniques. The yield strength was comprehensively modelled through an in-depth characterization and quantification of the microstructural features as well as their effective volumes for strengthening. In particular, the non-equilibrium eutectic network was characterized with a two-fold structure: cell boundary particles as well as intracellular lamellar/fibrous networks, each consisting of discrete phases exhibiting a thru-thickness compositional gradient, a semi-coherent interface with the matrix and an abundance of crystal defects such as nano-sized sub-grains, microstrains and stacking faults. Further, these altogether made the eutectic phase the most potent contributor to the yield strength accounting for ~30–40% of the estimated value (i.e., cell boundary and eutectic network strengthening combined). Precipitates strengthening was identified as the second most potent mechanism via a shearing process only. Moreover, the presented methodology was able to capture the effect of LPBF processing variables on the individual strengthening contributions, e.g., the effect of a lower laser scanning speed on increasing the cell size as well as the mean precipitate size, which are shown to exhibit opposing impacts on strengthening.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Tuning color through sulfur and fluorine substitutions in the defect tin(II, IV) niobate pyrochlores

In this study, sulfur and fluorine substituted Sn 2 Nb 2 O 7 pyrochlore compounds were synthesized to produce brilliant orange/red colors as an environmentally friendly alternative to other toxic inorganic pigments. Neutron structure refinements indicate that the studied compositions crystallize in the pyrochlore structure with a large number of cation and/or anion vacancies and significant local structural disorder. The cubic unit cell decreases with increasing sulfur and fluorine content. The Sn 2+ cation is off-center by 0.39–0.48 Å from the ideal site, and the oxygen O' is strongly displaced to the 32e position by an extraordinarily large distance that has never been reported for a pyrochlore type phase. The unprecedented displacive disorder and unusual lattice evolution upon sulfur substitution are presumably driven by the strong lone pair stereoactivity associated with Sn 2+ . Chemical analysis confirmed the existence of sulfur and fluorine, and 119 Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy quantified the presence of both Sn 2+ and Sn 4+ in all compositions. The general formula representative of sulfur-containing pigments is nonstoichiometric Sn$2+\atop{2-z}$ (Nb 2-y Sn$4+\atop{y}$)O 7-z-y/2-x S x with the color varying according to x. The fluorine compound is refined to be Sn$2+\atop{2}$(Nb 0·958 Ti 0.984 Sn$4+\atop{0.058}$)O 6·376 F 0.206 with exclusively anion vacancies. Optical characterization was performed through diffuse reflectance and color meter measurements. The band gap is determined to be in the range of 2.35 to 2.05 eV as sample color changes from yellow to orange/red. Finally, all powder samples show 60–95% reflectance in the near-infrared (NIR) region, adding new functionality to the application of these compounds as “cool” pigments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Synthesis and characterization of rhenium chalcogenides for nuclear waste management

A new synthetic approach to binary rhenium (Re) chalcogenides was investigated to aid in the preparation of analogous technetium (Tc) compounds for Tc waste management efforts. The Boron-Chalcogen Mixture (BCM) method was utilized for the first time to prepare polycrystalline powders of ReS 2 , ReSe 2 , and Re 2 Te 5 using a perrhenate, NaReO4, as a rhenium source. Single crystals of ReS 2 were also synthesized using the combined BCM and molten flux methods by adding a K 2 CO 3 flux to the reagent mixture. Thermal analysis using TGA/DSC revealed negligible changes from ambient temperature up to ∼300 °C followed by the oxidation of the Re chalcogenides. High Temperature PXRD was used to investigate the crystallinity of ReS 2 at various temperatures revealing an increase in crystallinity up to 275 °C followed by a decrease in crystallinity due to oxidation. The research presented herein demonstrates a significant step towards technetium waste treatment efforts.

Boron chalcogen mixture (BCM) method↗
DOE OSTI2025

Czochralski Growth and Characterization of a Compositionally Complex Rare Earth Aluminum Garnet Scintillator: (Gd 1/4 Y 1/4 Tb 1/4 Lu 1/4 ) 3 Al 5 O 12 :Ce

Compositionally complex oxides have garnered increasing interest for their enhanced phase stability and tunable functional properties, yet their development as bulk single crystal scintillators remains limited. Herein, we report the Czochralski growth and characterization of (Gd 1/4 Y 1/4 Tb 1/4 Lu 1/4 ) 3 Al 5 O 12 :Ce (GYTLAG), a compositionally complex garnet incorporating four dodecahedrally coordinated principal rare earth elements. The garnet phase was confirmed by powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction, and macroscopic defects are described. X-ray absorption near-edge structure measurements confirm the 3+ oxidation state of all rare earths and support their occupation of the same crystallographic site; white line intensity variations correlate with the anticipated segregation behavior. Elemental segregation is quantified by SEM/EDS and ICP-OES, and a linear trend was established between the segregation coefficient and the difference between each rare earth’s ionic radius (r) and the average ionic radius (AIR) of the dodecahedral site. This trend offers a predictive framework for compositional control in future REAG crystals grown by the Czochralski method. Photoluminescence and radioluminescence measurements reveal both Ce 3+ and Tb 3+ emission. Scintillation pulses exhibit four-component decay with dominant ~230 µs and ~1.2 ms components, and the light yield is estimated to be up to 43,000 ph/MeV under 137Cs γ-ray excitation. GYTLAG also demonstrates a strong radioluminescence efficiency and 50% lower afterglow at 20 ms compared to a LuAG:Ce reference, underscoring its promise for scintillator applications.

Compositionally complex oxide, high entropy oxide,↗
DOE OSTI2025

Doping Effects on Multivalence States, Electronic Structure, and Optical Band Gap in LaCrO 3 under Varied Atmospheres: An Integrated Experimental and Density Functional Theory Study

Doping effects on the valence state, electronic structure, and optical band and the effects on electrical conductivity were studied on the doped lanthanum chromite (LaCrO 3 ) system. The specific compositions studied were La 1–x Ca x CrO 3 (LCCx), La 1–x Sr x CrO 3 (LSCx), and La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Cr 1–x Mn x O 3 (LSCMx) (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.4). The powders were synthesized using a modified Pechini sol–gel method, and the ceramic samples were densified using a reactive sintering method resulting in densities >96% theoretical. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was completed to characterize the defect states and cationic valence compensation as a result of divalent (Ca 2+ or Sr 2+ ) and trivalent (Mn 3+ ) substitutions. XPS was completed for samples tested in oxidizing and reducing atmospheres (up to 1500 °C), which provided insights into the oxidation state transitions induced by the Ca 2+ and Sr 2+ dopants. The work notably demonstrated, for the first time, the oxidation/reduction transitions of Cr 4+ to Cr 3+ in Sr 2+ /Mn 3+ co-doped samples under reducing atmospheres. Reflectance UV–vis spectrophotometry optical band gap measurements were also completed for the same materials; a decrease in the optical band gap (2.81–3.12 eV) was shown with increased substitution, suggesting electronic structure modifications in the LaCrO 3 perovskite. Density functional theory calculations validated experimental trends, predicting a diminishing band gap with a rising dopant concentration. The transition in Cr oxidation states was attributed to the presence of divalent/trivalent cations. These findings contribute some insights into methods to tune the LaCrO 3 electrical properties for various low- and high-temperature applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Haldane topological spin-1 chains in a planar metal-organic framework

Haldane topological materials contain unique antiferromagnetic chains with symmetry-protected energy gaps. Such materials have potential applications in spintronics and future quantum computers. Haldane topological solids typically consist of spin-1 chains embedded in extended three-dimensional (3D) crystal structures. Here, we demonstrate that [Ni(μ-4,4'-bipyridine)(μ-oxalate)] n (NiBO) instead adopts a two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) structure of Ni 2+ spin-1 chains weakly linked by 4,4'-bipyridine. NiBO exhibits Haldane topological properties with a gap between the singlet ground state and the triplet excited state. The latter is split by weak axial and rhombic anisotropies. Several experimental probes, including single-crystal X-ray diffraction, variable-temperature powder neutron diffraction (VT-PND), VT inelastic neutron scattering (VT-INS), DC susceptibility and specific heat measurements, high-field electron spin resonance, and unbiased quantum Monte Carlo simulations, provide a detailed, comprehensive characterization of NiBO. Vibrational (also known as phonon) properties of NiBO have been probed by INS and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, indicating the absence of phonons near magnetic excitations in NiBO, suppressing spin-phonon coupling. The work here demonstrates that NiBO is indeed a rare 2D-MOF Haldane topological material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Sodium Chemistry Assessment and Initiation of Sodium Exposure Experiment on A709 Commercial Heats and LPBF 316H SS

This report documents sodium chemistry characterization and the initiation of forced‑convection sodium exposure experiments for two structural materials for sodium‑cooled fast reactors (SFRs): Alloy 709 (solution‑annealed and with an additional 775 °C/10 h precipitation treatment) and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) 316H stainless steel tensile specimens printed with an as‑built surface condition. The sodium exposure experiment was conducted in a forced‑convection sodium loop with two vessels operated at 550 °C and 600 °C, and a cold trap maintained at <130 °C. Carbon activity in sodium was quantified using a nickel‑foil equilibration method. Initial post‑exposure evaluation after ~1,000 h indicates negligible thickness change for Alloy 709 and a small but measurable mass decrease. To isolate thermal effects from sodium effects, parallel thermal‑aging experiments were performed on Alloy 709 at 550 °C and 600 °C. Baseline tensile tests at room temperature, 550 °C, and 600 °C show expected reduction in strength with increasing temperature and serration tensile curves at elevated temperatures, consistent with dynamic strain aging. After 3,000 h thermal aging, Alloy 709 exhibits modest strengthening and reduced ductility at 550 °C. Together, these results establish the loop chemistry conditions and provide the initial corrosion and mechanical property results for ongoing long‑duration sodium exposure of Alloy 709 and LPBF 316H stainless steel.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Effects of processing conditions on flash sintering of commercial ZrN

Flash sintering (FS) is a potentially rapid and low-cost manufacturing technique for advanced ceramics. There are still many unknowns about ceramic FS, especially for highly conductive high-temperature ceramics (HTC), which often display decreased bulk conductivity with increasing temperature. This study qualitatively characterizes the flash behavior of highly conductive HTC materials using zirconium nitride (ZrN) as an example. The effects of processing parameters (e.g., DC voltage/electrical field strength, voltage ramp rate, post-flash holding time, mechanical pressure, sample milling, and choice of electrode materials) on ZrN flash behavior are also qualitatively studied and linked to samples microstructure and hardness. It is observed that best densification was achieved using 5 min Spex-milled ZrN powder under 25 MPa of applied pressure and constant 8 V DC. The potential mechanism for ZrN FS and the similarity and difference from FS of conventional oxides like YSZ have been proposed based on experimental observations, and the directions for future research are also pointed out.

Flash Sintering↗
DOE OSTI2018

Synthesis and Characterization of Er-Doped Nano ZnO Samples

Pure and erbium-doped ZnO nanoparticles (Zn{sub 1−x}Er{sub x}O), (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.10), were synthesized by wet chemical co-precipitation method. The structural, optical, and magnetic properties of the prepared samples were investigated using x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), M-H magnetic hysteresis, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). XRD studies exhibit the presence of a single ZnO wurtzite hexagonal crystal structure for 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.06. A secondary phase of Er{sub 2}O{sub 3} appears for x > 0.06. This means that the solubility limit for doping Zn{sup 2+} ions by Er{sup 3+} ions is about x = 0.06 under our preparations condition. The lattice parameter a is not affected by the Erbium doping. On the other hand, the lattice parameter c and the unit cell volume V increase with the increase of x up to x = 0.06. This is attributed to the larger ionic size of Er{sup 3+} ions (0.88 Å) compared to Zn{sup 2+} ions (0.74 Å). Both c and V decrease for x > 0.06. TEM micrographs indicate that the shape and the size of the ZnO nanoparticles are modified by changing the doping level of Er. The UV measurements point out that band gap energy E{sub g} decreases with the increase of x up to x = 0.06. Then, it increases for both x = 0.08 and 0.10. FTIR spectra confirm the presence of O–H and Zn–O stretching modes at 3451.963 and 428.901 cm{sup − 1}, respectively, in pure and doped ZnO samples. The Zn–O stretching mode shifts toward a lower wavenumber for x = 0.06 and toward a higher wavenumber for x = 0.10. M-H hysteresis analysis, at room temperature, reveals that the pure ZnO has a ferromagnetic signal combined with diamagnetic and paramagnetic contributions. This ferromagnetism is reduced for the doped samples up to x = 0.02, and an antiferromagnetic alignment appears for 0.04 ≤ x ≤ 0.10. The saturation magnetization (M{sub s}), the coercivity (H{sub c}), the retentivity (M{sub r}), the anisotropy constant (K{sub a}), and the magnetic moment (μ{sub m}) were estimated and discussed in terms of erbium doping for the different samples. EPR spectra for Zn{sub 1−x}Er{sub x}O were measured at room temperature in order to study the effect of Er substitution on the g value, resonance field (H{sub r}), peak to peak line width (ΔH{sub pp}) and spin–spin relaxation time constant (T{sub 2}).

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗