Investigation of structural, dielectric, and optical properties of the La0.85Ag0.15Mn0.9Ni0.1O3 ceramic

Abstract

We report the synthesis (solid-state reaction) and characterization of the nickel-modified lanthanum silver manganate, La_0.85Ag_0.15Mn_0.9Ni_0.1O₃ [LAMNO] ceramic. The room temperature X-ray diffraction (XRD) data were recorded and structural analysis using Rietveld refinement predicts rhombohedral structure with a space group R\(\:\overline{3}\)c & space group number 167 (hexagonal setting). The study of SEM micrographs shows the uniform distribution of the well-grown grains and witnesses the formation of the highly dense sample, which may be a reason for better electrical properties. The analysis of the EDX spectrum confirms the presence of all constituent elements of La, Ag, Mn, Ni, and O in both atomic & weight% and strongly supports the formation of the highly pure sample. The study of the FTIR spectrum confirms the presence of all constituent atomic vibrations of the studied sample. The study of the dielectric spectrum provides information about the formation of the high dielectric constant and low-loss material. The analysis of both Nyquist and Cole-Cole plots supports the semiconducting nature of the material. The study of the UV-vis spectrum provides a direct bandgap energy of 2.6 eV, which may be a good range for photovoltaic applications.