Mössbauer Study on Zn1-xFexO semiconductors Obtained by Mechanical Work

L. C. DAMONTE; M.MEYER; L.BAUM; L. A.MENDOZA-ZÉLIS

La Plata, Pcia. de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Simposio; LACAME, XI Latin American Conference on Applications of the Mössbauer Effect; 2008

During the last years, the wide bandgap semiconductor ZnO doped with small quantities of magnetic atoms (Mn, Co, Fe and Ni) has attracted the attention since it may show room temperature ferromagnetism. However, the mechanism responsible of such singular ferromagnetic behaviour is not yet well understood and moreover, experimental evidences of the magnetic character are not conclusive. Continuing our work in these diluted magnetic semiconductors [1, 2], we present the preparation of massive Zn1−xFexO ternary oxides using the mechanical mill. The Fe atom is a particular dopant since it presents two different oxidation states which allow us to vary the starting materials: Fe2O3, a−Fe or FeO. Parameters such as initial concentrations, atmosphere and milling times were varied. X-ray diffraction was applied in order to analyze the structure evolution and iron incorporation in the wurtzite crystalline structure with milling time. The influence of milling conditions on the hyperfine parameters was analyzed by Mössbauer spectroscopy. Also the intermediate and final products were identified.