Structure, dielectric and magnetic properties of hydrothermally synthesized Sn1−x Fe x O2 nanoparticles

Sn1−x Fe x O2 (x = 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 %) of the diamagnetic/ferromagnetic phase were synthesized by the conventional hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction spectra confirm that all the samples have a tetragonal structure. Electronic distribution over the unit cell of Sn1−x Fe x O2 showed the dependence of electronic density on the x. The crystallite size of the obtained samples was in the range of 42–72 nm. Impedance spectroscopy was employed to investigate the variation of the electrical impedance and some related parameters as frequency functions in the range of 75 k Hz–10 MHz at room temperature. The dielectric behavior was explained using the Maxwell–Wagner model of interfacial polarization. The ac conductivity results were used to evaluate the maximum barrier height, the minimum hopping distance, and the density of the localized states at the Fermi level. The effect of adding the iron ion into the tin dioxide compound was apparent, as the electrical and magnetic properties as well as the morphology were affected, although the crystal structure phase still has the same tetragonal crystal system for the different iron concentration (Fe from x = 0 up to x = 0.04) with slight variation in the lattice constants. The magnetic measurements illustrated that the Fe-doped SnO2 nanoparticles exhibit ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature. Variation of the Fe content affects the ferromagnetic characteristics of the samples.