Structural, Magnetic, Morphology, Optical, and Vibrational Properties of In Substituted La2CuO4 Nanoparticles

Abstract

Perovskite type nanocrystals of La_2 − xIn_xCuO₄ were prepared by using the combustion method. The magnetic, optical, morphology, structural, and vibrational characteristics were investigated using techniques like XRD, FE-SEM, FTIR, VSM, EDX, and DRS-UV. The development of the pure La₂CuO₄ perovskite structure was established by XRD analysis. When there is an increase in the indium ion concentration (x = 0.00 to 0.25), orthorhombic phase takes place. The orthorhombic structure crystallite size is from 54 to 38 nm, respectively. The oxidation states of the synthesized nanoparticles were carried out via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). TG-DTA studies confirmed weight loss and exothermic transitions. Because of quantum confinement phenomena, the direct band gap energy increases with an increase in In³⁺ ion content (1.70 to 1.73 eV) and that was calculated using the Kubelka–Munk method. The La₂CuO₄ system demonstrates the formation of nanoscale crystalline grains with fused grain boundaries, resulting in the presence of pores and pore walls. The magnetization-field method yields hysteresis curves at room temperature (RT) that indicate the existence of ferro/paramagnetic characteristics.