Tuning of the magnetostrictive properties of cobalt ferrite by forced distribution of substituted divalent metal ions at different crystallographic sites

Comparative studies have been made to understand the role of different crystallographic site preferences of the substituted non-magnetic divalent metal ions in the magnetostrictive properties of cobalt ferrite, by substitution of Zn2+ and/or Mg2+ for Fe3+ in CoMg x Fe2− x O4, CoZn x Fe2− x O4, and CoMg x /2Zn x /2Fe2− x O4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2). Detailed Raman spectral and magnetic characterizations are made to extract the information on the tetrahedral/octahedral site preferences of Zn and Mg in the spinel lattice of cobalt ferrite. The structural, microstructural, magnetic, Raman spectral, and magnetostrictive parameters of the studied compositions show distinguishable variations for x