Study of nanostructured Co and Al co-doped ZnO films fabricated by electroless technique

Abstract

Electroless undoped and Co, Al co-doped ZnO (Zn_{1 − x − y}Co _x Al _y O: x = 0.04, 0.03, 0.02; y = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03) nanostructured thin films were deposited on soda lime glass in the present work. Microstructure of the ZnO films was strongly influenced by different doping concentrations of Co and Al into ZnO matrix. X-ray diffraction analysis has confirmed the absence of metallic Co or Al clusters apart from wurtzite type ZnO. The field dependence of magnetisation (M–H) curve of different concentration of Co and Al co-doped ZnO films was measured at room temperature. The ferromagnetism with saturation magnetisation (M_s) and coercive field (H_c) of the order of 3.843–4.813 × 10^− 3 (emu) and 400.389–436.769 (Oe) respectively were observed for the doped ZnO thin films. The mechanisms for the ferromagnetism at room temperature in Co and Al co-doped ZnO films are discussed.