Structural and optical properties of gadolinium doped barium titanate nano-crystal for multifunctional nanodevices

• Published in: Optical materials Vol. 143; p. 114244
• Main Authors: Kumari, Renu, Kumari, Sapana, Sharma, Ekta, Kumari, Suman, Dalal, Jasvir, Padalia, Diwakar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2023
• Subjects: Barium titanate; Perovskite structure; Reitveld refinement; Tauc plot; UV–Visible; Tauc plot; Reitveld refinement; Barium titanate; UV–Visible; Perovskite structure
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2023.114244

Barium titanate has been the subject of extensive research due to its interesting electronic, optical, and ferroelectric properties, and its potential for use in various technological applications. In present work, the effects of gadolinium-doping (0.00–0.04 mol%) on structural and optical properties of Barium Titanate has been investigated. Structural information including lattice parameters, volume of unit cell, crystalline size and density, and typical microstrain size is examined from the x-ray diffraction data using the Rietveld refinement method. The lattice parameters of crystal increased (a= 3.9943 Å to 3.9975 Å, c= 4.0326 Å to 4.0381 Å) with increase in Gd-doping concentration. Also, an increase in strain from 2.93 × 10−3 to 3.08 × 10−3 is observed. Energy Dispersive X-ray technique is identified the doping of Gd. The optical properties has been analyzed using UV–Vis spectroscopy, the direct and indirect band gaps of the samples are estimated in the range of 4.1 eV–3.62 eV. These results imply the aptness of as-synthesized composites for applications in the fabrication of multifunctional nanodevices. •XRD data via Rietveld refinement method and FT-IR revealed formation of tetragonal structures of the composites.•The c/a ratio and crystalline size changed from 1.009 to 1.0101 and 37.62 nm to 34.66 with concentration of Gd.•Gd ions observed to occupy B-crystallographic sites.•The distribution of Gd in the samples is determined with Energy dispersive x-ray analysis.•Direct and indirect bandgaps values imply potential use of the material for fabrication of multifunctional nanodevices.