Gd-doped SnO2 nanoparticles: Structure and magnetism

Gd-doped SnO2 nanoparticles were chemically prepared doping 0-12.5% Gd into SnO2 and calcined at 600 oC. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy measurements show the formation of single phase of Sn1-xGdxO2 up to x=0.0625 while at x=0.125, an additional secondary phase of tetragonal GdO2 (not cubic Gd2O3) is detected. The transmission electron microscopy studies show that the individual particles are single crystalline with an average size in the range of 10-12 nm. Magnetization measurements show the absence of ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic ordering in all samples; however surface spin effects and enhanced Gd-O-Gd interactions are proposed to account for the observed magnetic properties of the samples.