Structural and magnetic properties of yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and yttrium aluminum iron garnet (YAIG) nanoferrites prepared by microemulsion method

Yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and yttrium aluminum iron garnet (YAIG) nanoferrite samples were synthesized by microemulsion method. The effect of sintering was examined by heating the samples at 900, 1000, and 1100 degrees C. The YIG and YAIG samples were then characterized using X-ray diffraction and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. Static and dynamic magnetic properties were measured by evaluating initial permeability, Q factor, and vibrating sample magnetometry properties of YIG and YAIG samples. YIG samples sintered at 1100 degrees C showed higher initial permeability and Q factor compared with YAIG samples. However, hysteresis loops also showed variations in the saturation magnetization, remanence, and coercivity of YIG and YAIG samples sintered at 900, 1000, and 1100 degrees C. The observed magnetic parameter such as saturation magnetization, coercivity and initial permeability are strongly affected by increasing temperature. The saturation magnetization and coercivity of YIG and YAIG nanoferrites were found in the range 11.56-19.92 emu/g and 7.30-87.70 Oe respectively. Furthermore, the decreasing trends in the static and magnetic properties of YAIG samples may be due to the introduction of Al ions in the YIG crystal lattice. Thus, YIG and YAIG sintered at 1100 degrees C can be used for wide-ranging frequency applications. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.