Understanding low-temperature magnetization curves with law of approach to saturation in Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4

Cobalt-zinc ferrite of composition Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 was prepared by co-precipitation method. Structural confirmation of the prepared material was done using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Fourier transform-Raman spectroscopy. Morphology was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of the compositional elements was confirmed using energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDAX). The effect of temperature on the magnetic properties of Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 was investigated at three different temperatures namely 300 K, 150 K, and 50 K. By applying law of approach to saturation in the form M = Ms (1 − b/H2) + cH, the anisotropy constant was estimated. Different parts of magnetization curves namely low, intermediate, and high field regimes are found to vary with temperature and the variation is studied. Temperature soundly affects the magnetization processes namely domain wall motion and domain rotation and hence resulting in different saturation magnetization. The variation in the processes of magnetization with temperature is being discussed using schematic diagrams.