Electrical transport characteristics of rare earth ions (Er³⁺, Sm³⁺) exchanged cobalt-manganese ferrite using impedance spectroscopy

Abstract

This study presents findings on the AC impedance characteristics of rare earth-doped Co0.5Mn0.5RExFe2-xO4 ferrites (where RE = Er and Sm, and 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1), synthesized utilizing the citrate auto-combustion process. Employing impedance spectroscopy at frequencies ranging from (100 −1 MHz) and temperatures between 30°C and 120°C, we distinguished the impact of grains (Gs) and grain boundaries (GBs) in these compositions. The Jonscher power law was applied to characterize the AC conductivity results. The dielectric constant έ and dielectric loss ε” decline as the frequency rises and reach a stable state at higher frequencies, indicating the characteristic dielectric dispersion. This phenomenon manifests the Maxwell-Wagner polarization, as described by Koop's hypothesis. The modified Debye formula provides a good match for the frequency-dependent dielectric permittivity fluctuation. The Cole-Cole plots revealed a single semicircle for the unaltered sample and lower Er³⁺ concentrations (up to x=0.02), but two semicircles appeared at higher Er³⁺ concentrations and in the Sm³⁺ doped samples. The G and GB resistances increased with higher concentrations of Er³⁺/ Sm³⁺ but showed a decrease at x=0.1 in Sm³⁺-doped samples. The data examination designates that the resistive and capacitive possessions are predominantly affected by G and GB processes. A relaxation phenomenon in the existing samples is shown by the frequency-dependent of the imaginary portion of impedance (Z"). Remarkably, the relaxation time (τz) showed linear temperature dependence. Additionally, studies of the electrical modulus (M’ and M”) highlighted non-Debye sort dielectric relaxation in all compositions, with peaks in the imaginary modulus indicating a shift in charge carrier mobility from long-range toward short-range. The investigation focused on the non-Debye relaxation, which was analyzed by determining the stretching exponential parameter (β). This factor was obtained by fitting the modified Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) formula to the graph of the imaginary electric modulus. The substitution of Fe3+ by Er3+ and Sm3+ ions substantially enhanced the dielectric properties, particularly Co-Mn-Sm ferrite series, suggesting their potential use in high-frequency devices.