Yb-doped Gd2O2CO3: Structure, microstructure, thermal and magnetic behaviour

Structural and microstructural features, as well as thermal and magnetic properties of Yb-doped Gd2O2CO3, were investigated with the aim to clarify the location and the oxidation state of Yb within the structure, and its role in driving the extent of the (Gd1-xYbx)(2)O2CO3 solid solution. Yb is found in the 3+ oxidation state and it enters the structure only at the rare earth atomic site; the solubility limit results to be located in the close vicinity of x=0.25, and thermal analyses reveal a linear decrease of the decomposition temperature with increasing the Yb amount, in agreement with literature data. The structural analysis allows to exclude long-range clusterization of Yb and Gd, since both rare earths randomly distribute over the 4f atomic position, but relying on the results of the microstructural analysis, the presence of compositional inhomogenities at the local scale cannot be excluded.