Abstract
We report on synthesizing rare-earth yttrium oxide-doped ZnO nanoparticles through high-energy planetary milling approach. The impact of varying dopant content in the 3.0, 5.0 to 7.0 wt% range on microstructural, optical and electrical properties of ZnO nanoparticles has been successfully explored. The XRD data showed the existence of a hexagonal wurtzite ZnO phase along with Y2O3 impurity peaks, and the SEM micrographs divulge the development of semi-spherical nanoparticles. The incorporation of Y2O3 dopant in ZnO lattice has been supported by EDS, XPS and Raman analysis. The frequency and composition dependence of dielectric parameters was investigated and interpreted according to the Maxwell Wagner model. The data revealed non-monotonic dependence of the dielectric constant (εr), dielectric loss (tan δ) and AC conductivity and impedance of ZnO with varying dopant content. The variation of the shape of the impedance semicircles and the equivalent circuits between pure and doped ZnO samples prove increased grain boundary resistance due to Y2O3 incorporation. The study reveals that Yttrium-doped ZnO nanostructures are possible potential candidates for application in electronic devices if the dopant’s content is controlled.