Authors: Goumri-Said S., Khan W., Boubaker K., Turgut G., Sönmez E., Minar J., Bououdina M., Kanoun M.B.
Author Affiliations: Goumri-Said, S., College of Science, Department of Physics, Alfaisal University, P.O. Box 50927, Riyadh, 11533, Saudi Arabia; Khan, W., New Technologies – Research Center, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, Pilsen, 306 14, Czech Republic, Department of Physics, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, KPK, Pakistan; Boubaker, K., Unité de physique des dispositifs à semi-conducteurs, Faculté des sciences de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, Tunis, 2092, Tunisia; Turgut, G., Department of Basic Sciences, Science Faculty, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, 25240, Turkey, Department of Nanoscience & Nanoengineering, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Ataturk University, Erzurum, 25240, Turkey; Sönmez, E., Department of Basic Sciences, Science Faculty, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, 25240, Turkey, Department of Nanoscience & Nanoengineering, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Ataturk University, Erzurum, 25240, Turkey; Minar, J., New Technologies – Research Center, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, Pilsen, 306 14, Czech Republic; Bououdina, M., Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Bahrain, Bahrain; Kanoun, M.B., Physics Department, College of Science, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 400, Al-Hasa, 31982, Saudi Arabia
Publication Date: 2019
Europium doped NiO thin films were grown onto glass substrates via sol-gel spin coating. The evolution of crystal structure, surface topography, and optical properties of NiO was investigated as a function of Eu doping concentration. AFM observations and XRD analysis revealed that NiO:Eu films composed of nano-sized grains exhibit a polycrystalline cubic bunsenite structure with (200) preferential orientation. Optical study showed that the optical band gap of doped NiO films initially increased with low Eu incorporation ratio then decreased with higher Eu content. However, the Urbach energy increased gradually with Eu doping level. First principle calculations were performed to elucidate the changes on electronic, magnetic and optical properties of NiO due to Eu doping. The incorporation of Eu within NiO host lattice induced a strong hybridization between Eu-f and Ni-d states resulting in important changes of bulk magnetization. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd
Eshan2020-11-28T18:53:03+00:00