The role of copper ions on the structural and magnetic characteristics of MgZn ferrite nanoparticles and thin films

In this study Cu_xMg_0.5−xZn_0.5Fe₂O₄ (x=0-0.5) nanoparticles and thin films were prepared by sol-gel processing. The morphologies of nanoparticles were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS) was employed to determine the site preference of the constitutive elements. Magnetic dynamics of the nanoparticles was studied by the measurement of AC magnetic susceptibility versus temperature at different frequencies. The phenomenological Néel-Brown and Vogel-Fulcher models were employed to distinguish between interacting or non-interacting system. Results exhibited that there is strong interaction between fine particles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the thin films indicate the formation of single-phase cubic spinel structure. Atomic force microscope (AFM) was employed to evaluate the surface morphologies of the prepared thin films. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) was employed to probe magnetic properties of samples. It was found that with an increase in the amount of copper, the saturation of magnetization and initial permeability increase.