Induction of Nd3+ dependent ferromagnetic phase in In2O3 semiconductor nanoparticles prepared by combustion method

Monophasic In(2-x)NdxO3 nanoparticle samples (x = 0, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20) with cubic bixbyite structure were prepared using auto-combustion method. A sizable increase in lattice constant 'a', and cell volume 'V' with a corresponding decrease in crystallite size 't', ranging from 52 nm to 44 nm was observed with increasing Nd3+concentration in the material. Scanning Electron Micrographs exemplified the formation of spherically shaped particles in the materials. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy established the presence of In, Nd and O in the samples. Fundamental absorption bands were identified in the range of 400 cm-1 to 700 cm- 1whereas energy band gap decreased from 3.22 +/- 0.09 eV to 3.14 +/- 0.12 eV with increasing Nd3+ concentration in the sample. Induction of ferromagnetic character in the host matrix, which is an essential artifice of DMS materials, was a manifestation of magnetic hysteresis studies. FC and ZFC measurement further ascertained the evolution of the Nd3+ dependent ferromagnetic phase in the materials.