Terbium Oxide, Fluoride, and Oxyfluoride Nanoparticles with Magneto-optical Properties

Novel terbium nanoparticles (TbX: terbium oxide (Tb2O3), terbium fluoride (TbF3), and terbium oxyfluoride (TbOF)) have been prepared and their magneto-optical properties reported. The TbX nanoparticles were synthesized by the thermolysis of Tb(III) complexes, used as single-source precursors, in oleylamine. The temperature used for the decomposition was estimated from using the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements. The as-prepared TbX nanoparticles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Large Faraday rotations were observed from poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films containing TbX nanoparticles under magnetic field (15000 Oe). TbX nanoparticles with magneto-optical properties have been prepared for the first time.