Effect of cobalt doping on site-disorder and magnetic behavior of magnetoelectric GaFeO_3 nanoparticles

摘要

We have prepared a series of GaFe_(1-x)Co_xO_3 (GFCO, 0≤x≤0.10) nanoparticles and study the effect of Co-doping on their structural and magnetic properties. It is found that with increasing Co-content up to 0.10, the ferrimagnetic transition temperature (T_C) increases from 325 to 360 K. Magnetic hysteresis loops measured below T_C exhibit two-phase-like magnetic behavior consisting of hard and soft magnetic phases. These results could be explained in terms of site-disorder in GFCO. Furthermore, magnetic irreversibility is observed in temperature-dependent magnetizations of all the nanoparticles, which are ascribed to the inherent magnetic anisotropy.