Phonon, magnon and magnetic properties of Cu‐doped NiO nanostructures.

We have extensively studied the phonon, magnon and magnetic properties of copper (Cu)‐doped nanocrystalline nickel(II) oxide (NiO) using room‐temperature Raman spectroscopy. The required nanomaterials were synthesized using a simple sol–gel method. The phonon modes of NiO nanoparticles have been observed in a large background of magnon excitations, and the wavenumbers of phonon modes were deviated from the theoretical predictions due to the phonon–magnon interaction. The variations of magnon excitations with the Cu doping concentrations were investigated based on reduced spin correlation length and superexchange interaction. The two‐magnon (2M) excitations were suppressed and blue shifted with Cu doping concentration indicating the variations in the magnetic behaviour. The modification of antiferromagnetic nature and the formation of multiphase magnetic properties of NiO nanoparticles were investigated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and discussed in detail. The variations in the phonon and magnon excitations can be used to probe the magnetic nature and spintronic applications of NiO nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]