Effect of Mn doping on structural and magnetic susceptibility of C-type rare earth nano oxides Er2−xMnxO3

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► Er{sub 2−x}Mn{sub x}·O{sub 3} (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20) prepared by sol–gel method. ► The change in lattice parameter is not linear with x due to the change in crystallite size with doping. ► Anomalous concentration dependence is found in magnetic susceptibility. ► The effective magnetic moment μ{sub eff} is found to decrease with composition parameter x. ► Superexchange interactions between Er ions depending on the amount of Mn or Er in different sites. -- Abstract: The manganese doped rare earth oxides Er{sub 2−x}Mn{sub x} O{sub 3} (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20) were synthesized by a sol–gel process and analyzed by X-ray diffraction using Rietveld refinement methods. A single phase solid solution is formed up to x = 0.15 while for x ≥ 0.2 a manganese oxide phase appears in the diffraction pattern. Preferential cationic distribution between the non-equivalent sites 8b and 24d of space group Ia3{sup ¯} is found for all samples but to a different extent. The octahedral volume and average bond length of Er{sub 1}-O for 8b site decrease while both octahedral volume and bond length of Er{sub 2}-O for 24d site increase. Magnetization measurements were done in the temperature rangemore » 5–300 K. The effective magnetic moment μ{sub eff} is found to decrease with composition parameter x, except for sample x = 0.05 where the magnetization is enhanced. The Curie-Weiss paramagnetic temperatures indicate antiferromagnetic interaction.« less