Effect of Nd3+ substitution on structural and electrical properties of nanocrystalline zinc ferrite

Polycrystalline soft ferrite samples with general formula ZnNdxFe2−xO4 (where x=0, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03) were synthesized by oxalate co-precipitation method. The samples were characterized by XRD and SEM techniques. The single phase cubic spinel structure of all the samples was confirmed by XRD. The lattice constant and grain size of the samples are found to decrease with increase in Nd3+ content. Room temperature DC resistivity of the Nd3+ substituted zinc ferrites is 102 times higher than that of zinc ferrite. The dielectric constant (ε′) and dielectric loss (tan δ) of all the samples were measured in the frequency range 20 Hz–1 MHz. The dielectric behaviour is attributed to the Maxwell–Wagner type interfacial polarization. The dielectric loss of the samples is found to decrease with increase in Nd3+ content. High resistivity and low dielectric loss makes these ferrites particularly suitable for high frequency applications.