Optical and magnetic properties of Yb ion-doped cobalt-based ZnO nanoparticles for DMS applications

Well-crystalline structured ZnO nanoparticles with cobalt (Co) and ytterbium (Yb) multiple ions doping were successfully synthesized by the chemical precipitation technique. The structures, optical and magnetic properties of the samples were analysed with X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible spectroscopy and magnetic measurements, respectively. In the XRD pattern of the pure ZnO and Yb co-doped samples, the formation of highly crystalline phase of pure ZnO was observed even at high Yb concentration. UV–vis spectra show a strong UV absorbance for all the samples with different absorbance maxima. Magnetic characterizations have shown that the sample with 1% Yb co-doped ZnO : Co nanoparticles exhibited a clear ferromagnetic (FM) behaviour at room temperature. The X-ray photoelectron spectral peaks for Yb 4f ions reveal Yb occupation of both Yb3+ as well as Yb2+ states. Hence, it can be confirmed that a clear FM behaviour at room temperature was exhibited by an imbalanced valence state of Yb that strongly interacted with the Co2+. When compared to the Co-doped ZnO, Yb co-doped ZnO exhibits a clear ferromagnetism at room temperature with high coercivity due to the contribution of both 3d and 4f exchange interaction with the host matrix.