Optical and magnetic properties of Mg2+ doped CeO2 nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanocrystalline Mg_xCe_1−xO₂ (x = 0.01, 0.03, and 0.05) particles with near uniform size were synthesized by microwave refluxing method. The effects of Mg doping on the optical and magnetic properties of CeO₂ are systematically studied. Particle size of all samples were demonstrated by XRD, HRTEM and Raman spectroscopy analyses. Mg doping effect on defect formation was investigated by Raman, UV-Vis and PL spectroscopy studies. Our results show that the increase of oxygen vacancies or defects was induced by Mg doping but not by particle size variation. In addition, a decrease of saturation magnetization was observed with increased Mg content. This can be due to the formation of Mg dopant complexes around oxygen vacancies which leads to formation of F²⁺ or F⁰ centers and thereby destroying the long range ferromagnetic ordering.