Effect of dysprosium dopant on EPR, magnetic and electrical properties of ZnO nanoparticles

The dysprosium (Dy) (1.12, 2.24, 3.33 and 4.02 at.%) modified zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles were synthesized by simple chemical co-precipitation method. The prepared nanoparticles were analyzed by EDAX, TEM, FTIR, EPR, VSM and dielectric studies. The energy dispersive analysis of X-rays confirms the presence of Dy, Zn and O in the prepared samples. The transmission electron micrographs of the prepared samples show that the particles are spherical in nature with average size 22–18 nm. The shifting of Zn–O peak towards lower frequency side in the FTIR spectra of the prepared samples confirms the substitution of Dy ion in the ZnO lattice. EPR investigations exhibit paramagnetic signals at g- 1.956, 2.04 and 2.323. The magnetic properties of the synthesized Dy doped ZnO NPs reveal weak ferromagnetic behavior. The studies on electrical properties of the prepared samples provided new and interesting information on the contribution of grains, grain boundaries and interfacial polarization on dielectric parameters and electrical conductivity.