The preferential site occupation and magnetic properties of GdxY2−xO3

Abstract The gadolinium-yttrium mixed oxides Gd x Y 2− x O 3 were synthesized over a wide range of concentrations: x = 0.10, 0.18, 0.41, 0.74 and 1.26. The X-ray diffraction data from the polycrystalline samples were taken at room temperature and refined using the Rietveld method. Gadolinium-yttrium oxides crystallize in the space group Ia 3. The cations occupy the six coordinated positions 8 b and 24 d . The anion occupies a general tetrahedrally coordinated position. At concentrations x ⩽ 0.41 gadolinium ion occupies exclusively 24 d , but at higher concentrations the occupation of position 8 b increases continuously. The magnetic susceptibility measurements showed the presence of the antiferromagnetic interaction in all samples. The magnetic moment in the sample x = 1.26 is significantly different from the magnetic moment of the free ion Gd 3+ . The Curie-Weiss temperature shows a nonlinear dependence on concentration.