Synthesis by Wet Chemical Method and Characterization of Nanocrystalline ZnO Doped with $Fe_2O_3$

Nanocrystalline samples of ZnO doped with $Fe_2O_3$ were synthetized by wet chemical method. The series of ZnO nanosized samples in the wide range of $Fe_2O_3$ concentration (from 5 wt.% to 95 wt.%) was prepared by precipitation from nitrate solutions using ammonia. The phase composition of the samples was determined using X-ray diffraction measurements. The phases of hexagonal ZnO, and/or rhombohedric $Fe_2O_3$, and/or $ZnFe_2O_4$ were identified. The mean crystalline size of nanocrystals, determined with the use of Scherrer's formula, varied from 8 to 52 nm. The preliminary micro-Raman spectroscopy measurements were performed. The observed features are typical of Fe doped ZnO nanoparticles. The magnetic measurements revealed the presence of different types of magnetic behavior. For samples with high $Fe_2O_3$ contents (above 70 wt.%) the ferromagnetic ordering was observed at room temperature. For samples with lower $Fe_2O_3$ contents we observed the phenomenon of superparamagnetism above the blocking temperature