Identification of ε-Fe2O3 nano-phase in borate glasses doped with Fe and Gd

• Published in: Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials Vol. 401; pp. 880 - 889
• Main Authors: Ivanova, O.S., Ivantsov, R.D., Edelman, I.S., Petrakovskaja, E.A., Velikanov, D.A., Zubavichus, Y.V., Zaikovskii, V.I., Stepanov, S.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-03-2016
• Subjects: Electron magnetic resonance; Epsilon-Fe2O3; Magnetic circular dichroism; Magnetic nanoparticles; Electron magnetic resonance; Magnetic circular dichroism; Epsilon-Fe2O3; Magnetic nanoparticles
• ISSN: 0304-8853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2015.10.126

A new type of magnetic nanoparticles was revealed in borate glasses co-doped with low contents of iron and gadolinium. Structure and magnetic properties of the particles differ essentially from that of the α-Fe2O3, γ-Fe2O3, or Fe3O4 nanoparticles which were detected earlier in similar glass matrices. Transmission electron microscopy including STEM-HAADF and EDX, synchrotron radiation-based XRD, static magnetic measurements, magnetic circular dichroism, and electron magnetic resonance studies allow referring the nanoparticles to the iron oxide phase-ε-Fe2O3. Analysis of the data set has shown that it is Gd atoms that govern the process of nanoparticles’ nucleation and its incorporation into the particles in different proportions can be used to adjust their magnetic and magneto-optical characteristics.
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•Alumina-potassium-borate glasses co-doped with Fe and Gd are studied.•Magnetic nanoparticles with structure close to ε-Fe2O3 are shown to arise in glasses•Magnetic hysteresis loops and EMR evidence on the ferromagnetic and paramagnetic nano-phases coexistence.•Magnetic circular dichroism for ε-Fe2O3 is studied for the first time.