Structural and Magnetic Properties of Zn1-xCuxO (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1) Systems

Cu doped ZnO system (Zn1-xCuxO) has been synthesized by varying Cu concentration from 3 to 10% in the Zn site by conventional sintering technique. Room temperature ferromagnetism is observed in all Cu doped ZnO samples. It is observed that density is increased as a function of increasing concentration of Cu substitution at Zn site. Microstructural analysis and compositional mapping under electron probe microstructure analyzer (EPMA) indicates that Zn and Cu are distributed uniformly throughout the bulk sample. However, non-existence of copper oxide clusters in the bulk surface accounts for its ferromagnetic property. Decrease in the band gap of Cu doped ZnO compared to undoped ZnO confirms the matrix incorporation of Cu in the ZnO system.