Influence of ytterbium-doping on the structural, magnetic and magnetodielectric properties of gallium ferrite nanoparticles

In the present work, we have prepared a series of Ga1−xYbxFeO3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10) nanocrystalline samples by using a sol-gel method. The influence of Yb-doping at the Ga site on the structural, magnetic, and magnetodielectric (MD) properties of GaFeO3 nanoparticles was studied. The crystalline structural analysis of all samples using x-ray diffractometer (XRD), indicated all samples are orthorhombic structure with space group of Pc21n and the value of lattice parameters increase systematically with increasing Yb-content. All Ga1−xYbxFeO3 samples showed above room temperature ferrimagnetism. The values of saturation magnetization (MS) and coercivity (HC) exhibit a maximum at light doping sample of Ga0.95Yb0.05FeO3 due to the enhancement of the distortion. Moreover, the reduction is observed in leakage current density with the incorporation of Yb. It is also found that the simultaneous improvement of ferroelectric behavior and MD effect after Yb-doping. The results suggest that both ferrimagnetism and ferroelectricity of GaFeO3 can be optimized by Yb-doping.