Effect of CeO2 presence on the structural and magnetic properties of Y3-xCexFe5O12 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.6, 1.6) thin films prepared by sol-gel method

Ce3+ substituted Y3-xCexFe5O12 films (x = 0, 0.2, 0.6, 1.6) have been successfully prepared by sol-gel method. The XRD results indicate that high addition of x ≥ 0.6 will introduce the CeO2 phase in the film structure. The lattice parameter decreased with x ≥ 0.6 due to the Ce3+ hardly substituted for Y3+ sites. The solubility limit of Ce in the YIG structure was found in the range of (0.2 < x < 0.6). When x exceed in the solubility limit, a foreign phase of CeO2 appeared in the film surface. The excess of CeO2 at x ≥ 0.6 will enhance the lattice distortion and led to increase the grain size of films. The thickness of films independence with x contents. Results of VSM show that the trend Ms of films at room temperature degrade with increasing x contents. This because the substitution Ce3+ led to reduce the level of magnetic moments in the d-site. Also, the presence of CeO2 at x ≥ 0.6 strongly destroyed the super-exchange actions between the magnetic ions. However, the Hc values independence with different x contents.