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Updated: Jun 28, 2025

Quantitative Atomic-Site Analysis of Functional Dopants/Point Defects in Crystalline Materials by Electron-Channeling-Enhanced Microanalysis
Published on: May 10, 2021
Comprehensive characterization and optoelectronic significance of Ho3+ and Cr3+ Co-doped ZnAl2O4 spinels
I Elhamdi1, H Souissi1, S Kammoun1
1Laboratoire de Physique Appliquée, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sfax, Tunisia. imen85356@gmail.com.
Abstract:
The spinels ZnAl1.99-HoCr0.01O4 (with x = 0 and 0.001) were synthesized using a solid-state method, and various techniques were employed for their characterization. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed a cubic spinel structure with the Fd3̄m space group for both spinels. The morphology and homogeneity of the chemical composition were determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. Raman and infrared vibrational spectroscopy techniques were also employed for analysis. The optical band gap (Eg) was determined from UV/vis absorption spectra, and the direct transition behavior was confirmed by Tauc's law. The observed large disorder and defect concentration are attributed to the presence of Cr3+ and Ho3+ ions, explaining this behavior. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurement presented different types of traps. Room temperature absorption spectra exhibited multiple peaks corresponding to the 3d-3d and 4f-4f transitions of Cr3+ and Ho3+ ions. The results obtained validate the significance of our compounds in optoelectronic device applications.
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