Synthesis,magnetic and electrical transport properties of magnetoresistance material Sr2FeMoO6 by microwave sintering

Magnetoresistance material Sr₂FeMoO₆ with double perovskite structure was synthesized by microwave sintering method using SrCO₃, Fe₂O₃ and MoO₃ as raw materials, with MnO₂ for microwave absorber. The phase structure, magnetic and electrical transport properties were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and vibrating-sample magnetometer. XRD analysis shows that the as-synthesized sample is Sr₂FeMoO₆ with tetragonal crystal structure and I4/mmm space group. The unit cell parameters are a=0.5587 nm, c=0.7894 nm, volume=0.2464 nm³. The calculated grain size of the sample is 31.62 nm, which is obtained by the Scherrer formula using the diffraction data. Magnetism testing results show that the sample Sr₂FeMoO₆ is ferromagnetic with the magnetic transition temperature of about 380 K. Under 1.0 T magnetic field, the saturation and spontaneous magnetization of Sr₂FeMoO₆ is 1.25 μ_B/f.u. and 1.00 μ_B/f.u. at room temperature. The magnetoresistance ratio of the sample is 28%. Electrical transport properties testing results indicate that the sample exhibits typical semiconductor behavior. The conductive mechanism of Sr₂FeMoO₆ is highly dependent on temperature: within the temperature range of 100–300 K, the mechanism is attributed to the small polaron variable-range hopping model; while it is ascribed to the adiabatic small polaron model within the temperature range of 80–100 K.     

The structural and magnetic properties of Ni2Mn1−xBxGa Heusler alloys

The influence of the substitution of manganese by boron on the crystal structure and magnetic properties of Ni₂Mn_1−xB_xGa Heusler alloys with 0?x?0.5 has been investigated using X-ray diffraction, thermal expansion, resistivity, and magnetization measurements. The samples with concentrations x<0.25 were found to be of single phase and belonged to the cubic L2₁ crystal structure at room temperature. Crystal cell parameters of the alloys decreased from 5.830 to 5.825 Å with increasing boron concentration (x) from 0 to 0.25. The alloys were ferromagnetically ordered at 5 K and the saturation magnetization decreased with increasing boron concentration. The ferromagnetic ordering and structural transition temperatures for 0?x?0.3 have been observed and the phase (x−T) diagram of the Ni₂Mn_1−xB_xGa system was constructed. The phase (x−T) diagram indicates that the ground state of Ni₂Mn_1−xB_xGa alloys belongs to ferromagnetic martensitic, premartensitic, and austenitic phases in x?0.12, 0.12<x?0.18, and 0.18<x?0.3, respectively. The relative influence of cell parameters and electron concentrations on the phase diagram is discussed.     

Effect of Sr concentration on microstructure and magnetic properties of (Ba1−xSrx)(Ti0.3Fe0.7)O3 ceramics

Fe-doped (Ba_1−xSr_x)TiO₃ ceramics were prepared by solid-state reaction, and ferromagnetism was realized at room temperature. The microstructure and magnetism were modified by the Sr concentration control (0≤x≤75 at%) at a fixed Fe concentration, and the relevant magnetic exchange mechanism was discussed. All the samples are shown to have a single perovskite structure. When increasing the Sr concentration, the phase structure is transformed from a hexagonal perovskite into a cubic perovskite, with a monotonic decrease in lattice parameters induced by ionic size effect. The room-temperature ferromagnetism is expected to originate from the super-exchange interactions between Fe³⁺ on pentahedral and octahedral Ti sites mediated by the O²⁻ ions. The increase in Sr addition modifies two main influencing factors in magnetic properties: the ratio of pentahedral to octahedral Fe³⁺ and the concentration of oxygen vacancies, leading to a gradually enhanced saturation magnetization. The highest value, obtained for Fe-doped (Ba_0.25Sr_0.75)TiO₃, is an order of magnitude higher than that of the Fe-doped BaTiO₃ system with similar Fe concentration and preparation conditions, which may indicate (Ba_1−xSr_x)TiO₃ as a more suitable matrix material for multiferroic research.     

Effects of indium doping on the superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3Oy sintered compounds and thin films

We investigated the effects of indium doping on the superconducting properties of YBCO sintered samples and thin films. In₂O₃-doped YBCO and YBa₂Cu_3−xIn_xO_y sintered samples showed a gradual decrease in the critical temperature (T_c) with increasing indium content; however, a T_c value above 80 K was maintained even up to 30 vol.% addition and x = 0.4, respectively. Ba₃Cu₃In₄O₁₂ was detected by X-ray diffractometry and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy as a reaction product for both sintered samples. The normalized J_c under a magnetic field of 0.1 T showed a maximum at x = 0.3. Indium-doped YBCO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition showed a similar dependence of T_c on indium content as the sintered samples.     

Room-temperature ferromagnetism in Sn1−xMnxO2 nanocrystalline thin films prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis

Sn_1−xMn_xO₂ (x=0.01-0.05) thin films were synthesized on quartz substrate using an inexpensive ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique. The influence of doping concentration and substrate temperature on structural and magnetic properties of Sn_1−xMn_xO₂ thin films was systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies of these films reflect that the Mn³⁺ ions have substituted Sn⁴⁺ ions without changing the tetragonal rutile structure of pure SnO₂. A linear increase in c-axis lattice constant has been observed with corresponding increase in Mn concentration. No impurity phase was detected in XRD patterns even after doping 5 at% of Mn. A systematic change in magnetic behavior from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic was observed with increase in substrate temperature from 500 to 700 °C for Sn_1−xMn_xO₂ (x=0.01) films. Magnetic studies reveal room-temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) with 3.61×10⁻⁴ emu saturation magnetization and 92 Oe coercivity in case of Sn_1−xMn_xO₂ (x=0.01) films deposited at 500 °C. However, paramagnetic behavior was observed for the films deposited at a higher substrate temperature of 700 °C. The presence of room-temperature ferromagnetism in these films was observed to have an intrinsic origin and could be obtained by controlling the substrate temperature and Mn doping concentration.     

Enhancement of Curie temperature and room-temperature magnetoresistance in double perovskite (Sr1.6Ba0.4)FeMoO6

The effects of A-site average cation size 〈r_A〉 and anti-site defects on Curie temperature (T_C) and room-temperature magnetoresistance (MR) in (Sr_2−xBa_x)FeMoO₆ (x=0, 0.4 and 1.6) have been investigated. By Ba doping, not only the room-temperature MR but also the T_C have been enhanced. The larger MR in the Ba-doped samples compared with the prototype Sr₂FeMoO₆ is associated with the lower saturation field. The optimization of T_C and MR in (Sr_1.6Ba_0.4)FeMoO₆ other than in the reported (Sr_0.4Ba_1.6)FeMoO₆ can be understood according to the two competing effects: anti-site defects and chemical pressure.     

Magnetic and magneto-transport properties of (Ba0.8Sr0.2)2−xNdxFeMoO6

The variation in structural, magnetic and magneto-transport properties of the double perovskite system (Ba_0.8Sr_0.2)_2?xNd_xFeMoO₆ {0.0<X<0.5} induced by Nd³⁺ doping (electron doping) has been studied and compared. The samples were prepared by standard solid state reaction method in a reducing atmosphere. The parent compound showed a saturation magnetic moment value of 3.75 μ_B/f.u. at an applied field of 0.5 T and a change in magnetoresistance value up to 26% (77 K, 0.8 T). The Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction data showed a continuous decrease in lattice parameters and Fe–Mo ordering with increasing Nd³⁺ doping. The Curie temperature was found to increase with Nd³⁺ doping (3 K per % of Nd) while the saturation magnetic moment values and magnetoresistance values were found to decrease. The observed variations in magnetic and magneto-transport properties of the system are explained on the basis of increasing antisite disorder defects and band filling effects induced by electron doping. We have observed the dominant role of band filling in determining the low field magnetoresistance of these systems.     

Structure and magnetic properties of melt-spun Tb0.27Dy0.73Fex ribbons

The structure and magnetic properties of the melt-spun ribbons of Tb_0.27Dy_0.73Fe_x alloy are investigated as a function of various wheel speeds during melt-quenching using a single-roll technique. It is found that Tb_0.27Dy_0.73Fe_x alloy is difficult to be fabricated as amorphous state by using the melt-quenching method. X-ray diffractions show that all these ribbons for x=1.7−2.0 are the MgCu₂-type phase at the wheel speed of 45 m s⁻¹. For Tb_0.27Dy_0.73Fe_x alloy, the high wheel speed is beneficial to eliminate the RFe₃ phase and form the perfect MgCu₂-type phase. Compared with the bulk of Tb_0.27Dy_0.73Fe_1.95, these ribbons exhibit higher intrinsic coercivity value and their saturation magnetizations increase as well. The magnetostriction of Tb_0.27Dy_0.73Fe_1.95 composite with 4% epoxy resin is 640×10⁻⁶ at 900 kA m⁻¹.     

On the existence of a homologous series of BamCum+nOy oxides with the cubic structure of the BaCuO2 oxide

Phase relations have been studied in the BaO–CuO_x system in the range of 42.0–83.0 mol.% CuO at P(O₂) = 21 kPa (air) by visual polythermal analysis (VPA), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), chemical analysis (CA), and electron diffraction (ED) with simultaneous elemental analysis (EA) in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). The existence of discrete crystallization fields of barium–copper oxides of cation compositions Ba₄Cu₅O_y, Ba₅Cu₆O_y, Ba₇Cu₈O_y, Ba₁₂Cu₁₃O_y, and Ba₂₄Cu₂₅O_y, which have the cubic structure of the BaCuO₂ oxide, is revealed in the studied region of the system. The oxides may be represented as members of a Ba_mCu_m+nO_y homologous series. The BaCuO₂ oxide does not exist in the subsolidus region and does not have its own crystallization field. The oxygen-deficient oxide BaCuO_1.78 of the cation composition (Ba:Cu) 1:1 with the BaCuO₂ cubic structure is found in melted samples of the 50.0 mol.% CuO composition quenched at 1020–1060 °С.     

Synthesis, structural and magnetic properties of the nanocomposite Fe63B23Nd7Y3Nb3Cr1 magnets

The Fe₆₃B₂₃Nd₇Y₃Nb₃Cr₁ nanocomposite magnets in the form of sheets have been prepared by copper mold casting technique. The phase evolution, crystal structure, microstructural and magnetic properties have been investigated in the as-cast and annealed states. The as-cast sheets show magnetically soft behaviors which become magnetically hard by thermal annealing. The optimal annealed microstructure was composed of nanosize soft magnetic α-Fe (19-29 nm) and hard magnetic Nd₂Fe₁₄B (45-55 nm) grains. The best hard magnetic properties such as intrinsic coercivity, _jH_c of 1119 kA/m, remanence, B_r of 0.44 T, magnetic induction to saturation magnetization ratio, M_r/M_s=0.61 and maximum energy product, (BH)_max of 55 kJ/m³ was obtained after annealing at 680 °C for 15 min. The annealing treatment above 680 °C results in non-ideal phase grains growth, which degrade the magnetic properties.     

Optical absorption and thermoluminescence studies on LiF-Sb2O3-B2O3 glasses doped with Ni ions

20LiF-(30−x)Sb₂O₃-50B₂O₃:xNiO glasses with the value of x (ranging from 0 to 1.0 mol% in steps of 0.2) were prepared. A number of studies, viz. differential scanning calorimetry, optical absorption, magnetic susceptibility and thermoluminescence, on these glasses were carried out as a function of nickel ion concentration. An anomaly has been observed in all the properties of these glasses when NiO concentration is about 0.6 mol%. The results of these studies were analysed in the light of different environments of nickel ions in the glass network.     

Near room temperature magnetocaloric properties of melt-spun Gd100−xBx (x=0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 at%) alloys

The magnetocaloric properties of melt-spun Gd-B alloys were examined with the aim to explore their potential application as magnetic refrigerants near room temperature. A series of Gd_100−xB_x (x=0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 at%) alloys were prepared by melt spinning. With the decrease in Gd/B ratio, Curie temperature (T_C) remains constant at ∼293 K, and saturation magnetization, at 275 K, decreases from ∼100 to ∼78 emu/g. Negligible magnetic hysteresis was observed in these alloys. The peak value of magnetic entropy change, (−ΔS_M)_max, decreased from ∼9.9 J/kg K (0-5 T) and ∼5.5 J/kg K (0-2 T) for melt-spun Gd to ∼7.7 J/kg K (0-5 T) and ∼4.0 J/kg K (0-2 T), respectively for melt-spun Gd₈₅B₁₅ and Gd₈₀B₂₀ alloys. Similarly, the refrigeration capacity (q) decreased monotonously from ∼430 J/kg (0-5 T) for melt-spun Gd to ∼330 J/kg (0-5 T) for melt-spun Gd₈₀B₂₀ alloy. The near room temperature magnetocaloric properties of melt-spun Gd_100−xB_x (0≤x≤20) alloys were found to be comparable to few first-order transition based magnetic refrigerants.     

Magnetic properties and room-temperature magnetocaloric effect in the doped antipervoskite compounds Ga1−xAlxCMn3 (0≤x≤0.15)

We report the effects of Al doping on the structure, magnetic properties, and magnetocaloric effect of antiperovskite compounds Ga_1−xAl_xCMn₃ (0≤x≤0.15). Partial substitutions of Al for Ga enhance the Curie temperature (from 250 K for x=0.0 to 312 K for x=0.15) and the saturation magnetization. On increasing the doping level x, the maximum values of the magnetic entropy change (−ΔS_M) decreases while the temperature span of −ΔS_M vs. T plot broadens. Furthermore, the relative cooling power (RCP) is also studied. For 20 kOe, the RCP value tends to saturate at a high doping level (for x=0.12, 119 J/kg at 296 K). However, at 45 kOe, the RCP value increases quickly with increasing x (for x=0.15, 293 J/kg at 312 K). Considering the relatively large RCP and inexpensive raw materials, Ga_1−xAl_xCMn₃ may be alternative candidates for room-temperature magnetic refrigeration.     

Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of La0.7−xEuxBa0.3MnO3 perovskites

Polycrystalline perovskite manganites La_0.7−xEu_xBa_0.3MnO₃(x=0.05, 0.1 and 0.15) were prepared by sol-gel method. The prepared samples remain single phase with a perovskite structure, revealed by X-ray diffraction. The structure refinement of La_0.7−xEu_xBa_0.3MnO₃(x=0.05, 0.1 and 0.15) samples was performed in the hexagonal setting of the R3¯c space group. The dependence of magnetization M on applied magnetic field H and temperature T was measured carefully near the Curie temperature T_C for all the samples. With the increasing Eu content, both the unit cell volume and Curie temperature T_C of 298 K has been detected with a maximum of magnetic entropy |ΔS_M^max| for the La_0.7−xEu_xBa_0.3MnO₃ with x=0.15, reaching a value of 2.3 J/kg K when a magnetic field of 10 kOe was applied and the relative cooling power (RCP) is 46 J/kg. These results suggest that the material may be a suitable candidate as working substance in magnetic refrigeration near room temperature.     

Luminescence investigation of red phosphors Ca0.54Sr0.34−1.5xEu0.08Smx(MoO4)y (WO4)1−y for UV-white LED device

Ca_0.54Sr_0.34−1.5xEu_0.08Sm_x(MoO₄)_y (WO₄)_1−y red phosphors were prepared by solid-state reaction using Na⁺ as a charge compensator for light-emitting diodes (LED). The effects of Na⁺ concentration, synthesis temperature, reaction time and Eu³⁺ concentration were studied for the properties of luminescence and crystal structure of red phosphors. The results show that the optimum reaction condition is 6%, 900 °C, 2 h and 8%. The photoluminescence spectra show that red phosphors are effectively excited at 616 nm by 292, 395 and 465 nm. The wavelengths of 465 nm nicely match the widely applied emission wavelengths of blue LED chips.     

Influence of boron on the giant magnetocaloric effect of La(Fe0.9Si0.1)13

The influences of boron addition on the phase formation, Curie temperature and magnetic entropy change of the NaZn₁₃-type La(Fe_0.9Si_0.1)₁₃ compound have been investigated. Eight boron containing La(Fe_0.9Si_0.1)₁₃B_x samples were prepared with x=0, 0.03, 0.06, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.6, respectively. Experimental results show that a small amount of B addition in La(Fe_0.9Si_0.1)₁₃ forms the solid solution NaZn₁₃-type structure phase by substituting B for Si or doping B into interstitial position of the lattice, preserves its giant magnetocaloric effects due to their first-order structural/magnetic transition, as well as increase its Curie temperature T_c slightly. The maximum magnetic entropy changes in the magnetic field change of 0–1.6 T are around 20 J kg^–1 K^–1 for the samples with Boron addition less than 0.3, while improving the Curie temperatures by 2 K.     

Metamagnetic transition and magnetocaloric effect in charge-ordered Pr0.68Ca0.32−xSrxMnO3 (x=0, 0.1, 0.18, 0.26 and 0.32) compounds

In this study, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Pr_0.68Ca_0.32−xSr_xMnO₃ (x=0, 0.1, 0.18, 0.26 and 0.32) compounds were investigated. X-ray results indicated that all the samples have a single phase of orthorhombic symmetry. The orthorhombic unit cell parameters increase with the increase in Sr content. Large negative magnetic entropy changes (−26.2 J/kg K at 38 K and 5 T for x=0 and −6.5 J/kg K at 83 K and 6 T for x=0.1) were attributed to ultrasharp metamagnetic transitions. The peak value of ΔS_m decreased from −4.1 J/kg K for x=0.18 sample to −2.4 J/kg K for x=0.32 at 1 T magnetic field.     

High temperature ferromagnetism of the vacuum-annealed (In1−xFex)2O3 powders

(In_1−xFe_x)₂O₃ (x = 0.02, 0.05, 0.2) powders were prepared by a solid state reaction method and a vacuum annealing process. A systematic study was done on the structural and magnetic properties of (In_1−xFe_x)₂O₃ powders as a function of Fe concentration and annealing temperature. The X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirmed that there were not any Fe or Fe oxide secondary phases in vacuum-annealed (In_1−xFe_x)₂O₃ samples and the Fe element was incorporated into the indium oxide lattice by substituting the position of indium atoms. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that both Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions existed in the samples. Magnetic measurements indicated that all samples were ferromagnetic with the magnetic moment of 0.49-1.73 μ_B/Fe and the Curie temperature around 783 K. The appearance of ferromagnetism was attributed to the ferromagnetic coupling of Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions via an electron trapped in a bridging oxygen vacancy.     

Magnetic properties of half-metallic semi Heusler Co1−xCuxMnSb compounds

A study of the half-metallic character of the semi Heusler alloys Co_1−xCu_xMnSb (0?x?0.9) is presented. We investigated the saturation magnetization M_S at temperatures from 5 K to room temperature and the temperature dependence of the DC magnetic susceptibility χ above Curie temperature T_C. The magnetic moments at 5 K, for most compositions are very close to the quantized value of 4 μ_B for Mn³⁺ ion, the compound with 90% Co substituted by Cu is still ferromagnetic with M_S (5 K)=3.78 μ_B/f.u. These results emphasize the role of Co atoms in maintaining the ferromagnetic order in the material. The Curie temperature is decreased from 476 K to about 300 K as the Cu content increases from 0% to 90%. Above T_C, the χ⁻¹ vs T curves follow very well the Curie–Weiss law. The effective moment μ_eff and paramagnetic Curie temperature θ are derived. A comparison between the values of M_S at 5 K and μ_eff shows a transition from localized to itinerant spin system in these compounds.     

Hydrostatic pressure study of the structural phase transitions and superconductivity in single crystals of (Ba1−xKx)Fe2As2 (x=0 and 0.45) and CaFe2As2

We studied the effect of hydrostatic pressure (P) on the structural phase transitions and superconductivity in the ternary and pseudo-ternary iron arsenides CaFe₂As₂, BaFe₂As₂, and (Ba_0.55K_0.45)Fe₂As₂, by means of measurements of electrical resistivity (ρ) in the 1.8-300 K temperature (T) range, pressures up to 20 kbar, and magnetic fields up to 9 T. CaFe₂As₂ and BaFe₂As₂ (lightly doped with Sn) display structural phase transitions near 170 and 85 K, respectively, and do not exhibit superconductivity in ambient pressure, while K-doped (Ba_0.55K_0.45)Fe₂As₂ is superconducting for T<30 K. The effect of pressure on BaFe₂As₂ is to shift the onset of the crystallographic transformation down in temperature at the rate of ~−1.04 K/kbar, while shifting the whole ρ(T) curves downward, whereas its effect on superconducting (Ba_0.55K_0.45)Fe₂As₂ is to shift the onset of superconductivity to lower temperatures at the rate of ~−0.21 K/kbar. The effect of pressure on CaFe₂As₂ is first to suppress the crystallographic transformation and induce superconductivity with onset near 12 K very rapidly, i.e., for P<5 kbar. However, higher pressures bring about another phase transformation characterized by reduced-resistivity, and the suppression of superconductivity, confining superconductivity to a narrow pressure dome centered near 5 kbar. Upper critical field (H_c2) data in (Ba_0.55K_0.45)Fe₂As₂ and CaFe₂As₂ are discussed.