Abstract

The effect of Co and Mn co-doping and annealing on electronic structure and magnetic properties of nanoscale SnO2 were investigated using complementary experimental techniques. The high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) image showed spherical-like morphology and signalled the nanoscale regime of investigated samples. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicated the oxidation state of Co and Mn mostly as 2+. Moreover, XPS and Raman analysis corroborated the formation of oxygen vacancies as result of substitution tetravalent Sn with divalent Co and Mn. The XPS valence band spectra unveiled the formation of occupied states above the top of the valence band in as-synthesized Co and Mn co-doped SnO2 samples. Magnetic measurements disclosed the paramagnetic nature for the as-synthesized Co and Mn co-doped SnO2 samples and also demonstrated the dominating antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the magnetic moments of Co and Mn. Interestingly, the annealed samples (Sn0.96Co0.02Mn0.02O2, Sn0.94Co0.02Mn0.04O2 and Sn0.94Co0.04Mn0.02O2) exhibited weak room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM). The observed RTFM was explained based on the bound magnetic polaron (BMP) model. The comprehensive experimental investigations provide an interesting insight into the magnetic behaviour within the co-doped system.

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