Synthesis, microstructural, optical, dielectric, and magnetic behavior of pure and co-doped (Cr, Fe) tin oxide (Sn1-2xCrxFexO2-δ) nanoparticles by using both co-precipitation and solid-state reaction method

During the last two decades, researchers have been making efforts to find the most suitable metal oxides to be utilized for spintronics applications, magneto-optical devices, quantum dots, etc. Thus current research has examined the microstructural, optical, dielectric, and magnetic behavior of co-doped (Cr, Fe) tin oxide (Sn1-2xCrxFexO2-delta) nanoparticles. The Cr and Fe-doped (Sn1-xCrxO2-delta), (Sn1-xFexO2-delta) and co-doped (Cr, Fe) tin oxide (Sn1-2xCrxFexO2-delta) for x = 0.1 have been synthesized by solid-state reaction method from the tin oxide, chromium oxide, and ferric oxide prepared by co-precipitation method. Powder x-ray diffraction reveals the formation of pure rutile type tetragonal phase of samples and average crystalline size was found to be in the range of 45-54 nm. The electronic state of elements Sn, Cr, and Fe was observed to be 4(+), 6(+), and 3(+), respectively, from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The shape and size of the particles were observed to be cubic and in the range of 52-70 nm by scanning electron microscope. On the other hand, transmission electron microscopic reveals the grain size of 25-36 nm. The optical band gap determined from UV-visible absorption spectroscopy was found to be widened by doping. The maximum dielectric loss (5.3) was observed for pristine SnO2 and low loss (0.78) for co-doped (Cr, Fe) tin oxides from P-E measurement. The vibrating sample magnetometer studies show the transition from diamagnetism to ferromagnetism after co-doping. We found improvement in ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity due to co-doping, therefore the sample is suitable for high-frequency optoelectronic applications.