Role of (Cu, Al) codoping in tuning the optical, structural and magnetic properties of Co-doped SnO2 nanostructures: A comparative study

Abstract

Tin oxide (SnO2) co-doped with Co/Cu and Co/Al nanoparticles were synthesized by using a co-precipitation technique to compare the effect of non-ferromagnetic codoping of Al and Cu ions on the structural-optical-magnetic properties of the Co-doped SnO2samples. The energy dispersive x-ray analysis measurements were performed to check the possible presence of any impurity elements in the nanocrystals. The samples were studied and characterised by several methods; X‐Ray Diffraction, UV–visible absorption spectroscopy, and magnetization measurement methods were executed. The optical bandgap of the SnO2 nanopowders (3.7 eV) was studied by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and found it was redshifted by doping. It was found that the hydrogenation process of the host samples should be used as supplementary necessary action that should be processed to create ferromagnetic properties in SnO2:Co:Cu sample. The optical measurements were used to measure the optical properties including the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) signal that generated by the accumulated liberated metallic nanograins (clusters) in form of intermetallic Sn0.5Co1.5 by the hydrogenation process and thus connect the SPR with the XRD results.