Optical Absorption and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance studies of two different solid solutions of Pyralspite Garnet

Two different solid solutions of pyralspite garnet have been investigated as to their optical absorption and EPR properties. The absorption band around 9850 cm−1 is due to Fe2+. After heating above 950 °C we found this band diminishes considerably; which was interpreted as Fe2+ loosing an electron to become Fe3+. The EPR spectrum of sample consisted of a straight line with angular coefficient of about 176°. After 600°C 1hr annealing, the spectrum starts deviating from a straight line. A strong typical EPR signal is observed around g = 2.0 after annealing at 850°C. We assume that with high temperature annealing a large number of Fe2+ are converted to Fe3+ as the optical absorption has shown. These results were also confirmed by chemical reaction. The susceptibility vs. magnetic field measurement has shown that the samples annealed at temperatures below 850°C present normal paramagnetic behavior, however, annealed above 900 °C, they show hysteresis, namely ferromagnetic behavior.