Lithium doping effects on structural and ferromagnetic properties of Sn0.95Ni0.05O2

Lithium doping effects on Sn0.95Ni0.05O2 were investigated in terms of structural and magnetic properties. All the samples with the designed nominal Li doping level achieve the well-defined host structure. Although it is hard to determine the precise position and real content of Li by powder X-ray diffraction, the structure change, as well as the magnetic properties, actually shows a close relationship with the Li doping level. Magnetic measurement reveals that Sn0.95Ni0.05O2 presents nearly paramagnetic behavior with weak ferromagnetic behavior at 300K. Li doping does not effectively enhance the weak room-temperature ferromagnetism of Sn0.95Ni0.05O2, which could be attributed to the Ni2+ occupying more on Sn lattice sites and the mild interaction among Ni2+ ions that substitute the interstitial Sn sites owing to Li doping. Such generic observation in group-I elements doped diluted magnetic semiconductors is significant for spintronics. •Sn0.95-x(Ni0.05,Lix)O2 polycrystal synthesized by solid state reaction.•Lattice parameters evolution by Li doping.•Effect on ferromagnetism by lithium doping in Sn0.95Ni0.05O2.•New mechanism for ferromagnetism evolution by lithium doping.