The inverse spinel nickel aluminate micro-particles was successfully synthesized via solid-state synthesis techniques. The single phase cubic structure with space group Fd3m of the as-prepared sample was entrenched from Rietveld refinement of x-ray diffraction pattern. In addition, the photoluminescence (PL) and FTIR spectra were also performed to give strong evidence of its pure phase formation. The narrow hysteresis m – h loop and UV-DRS spectra at room temperature demonstrate its weak ferromagnetic and semiconducting nature with saturation magnetization 64.96 × 10 ⁻³ emu gm ⁻¹ and direct optical band gap 2.03 eV respectively. The high-resolution FESEM micrographs and EDS elemental analysis exhibit its grain growth in µm range (217 µ m) and presence of elemental compound Ni, Al and O respectively. The electrical transport properties were accomplished by complex impedance spectroscopy as a function of frequency (100 Hz–1 MHz) with the evolution of high temperature (300 °C–500 °C). The Nyquist plots ( Z ″ versus Z ′) were well fitted with an equivalent circuit model (QR) (QR) consisting of a series combination of intra and inter-granular contribution. Furthermore, the imaginary modulus spectra were also fitted with Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts (KWW) function, which represents two thermally activated peaks of grain and grain boundary effects. The low-frequency dispersive ac conductivity was elucidated using the following equation: . The increasing nature of temperature dependent frequency exponent ( n ) suggests the quantum mechanical tunneling: non-overlapping small polaron tunneling (NSPT) concept for conduction mechanism. In low-frequency region, the lattice and charge carrier polarization simultaneously contribute in dielectric permittivity.

Microstructural NiO–SnO₂ nano-ceramic matrix was synthesized via a solgel auto-combustion technique with a perspective to investigate its noteworthy electric field emission and temperature-induced conduction anomaly. Exceptional field emission performance of nickel-tin oxide composites was discovered with a low turn-on field of 3.9 V/μm and a threshold field of 5.30 V/μm with a good field emission current density of 110.44 μA/cm² and current stability. Density functional theory was employed to estimate its local work function (Φ) 3.365 eV, and the field enhancement factor (β) was obtained as 1570 by Fowler–Nordheim plot. The anomalies in conductivity spectra at 523 K were detected by a number of physical properties measurement including impedance, conductivity, dielectric, and differential scanning calorimetry with thermal expansion. These phenomena can be rationalized in terms strain-dependent thermal hysteresis effects and localized/delocalized $e_g$ electron with a transition from inferior conductive linkage [Ni²⁺–O²⁻–Ni²⁺] and [Sn²⁺/Sn⁴⁺–O²⁻–Sn²⁺/Sn⁴⁺] to higher conductive linkage [Ni²⁺–Ni³⁺] and [Sn²⁺–Sn⁴⁺] of coupled NiO–SnO₂ matrix. The temperature dependence frequency exponent (n), ln τ, R_g, R_gb, C_g, and C_gb support additionally the conduction anomaly behavior, and the variation of dielectric constant (ɛ_r) and loss (tan δ) with temperature around 523 K has been explained in terms of the reduction of space charge layers due to reversal movement of delocalized $e_g$ electrons from the grain boundary limit. The frequency dispersing impedance, conductivity, and dielectric spectra with elevated temperature were also demonstrated to comprehend its conduction mechanism with theoretical correlation.

Ultrawide bandgap ZnGa2O4 (ZGO) thin films were grown on sapphire (0001) substrates at various growth temperatures with a perspective to investigate the electrical and optical characteristics required for high-power electronic applications. Due to the variation in the vapor pressure of Zn and Ga, severe loss of Zn was observed during pulsed laser deposition, which was solved by using a zinc-rich Zn0.98Ga0.02O target. A pure phase single-crystalline ZGO thin film was obtained at a deposition temperature of 750 °C and an oxygen pressure of 1 × 10−2 Torr. The out-of-plane epitaxial relationship between the sapphire and ZGO thin film was obtained from φ-scan. The x-ray rocking curve of the ZGO thin film grown at 750 °C exhibits a full width at half maximum of ∼0.098°, which indicates a good crystalline phase and quality of the thin film. Core-level x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of ZGO grown at 750 °C indicated that Zn and Ga were in the 2+ and 3+ oxidation states, respectively, and the atomic ratio of Zn/Ga was estimated to be ∼0.48 from the fitted values of Zn-2p3/2 and Ga-2p3/2. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy images revealed a sharp interface with the thickness of the ZGO film of ∼265 nm, and the signature of minor secondary phases was observed. The bandgap of the ZGO film at different growth temperatures was calculated from the ultraviolet-diffuse reflectance spectroscopy spectra, and its value was obtained to be ∼5.08 eV for the 750 °C grown sample. The refractive index (n) and the extinction coefficient (k) were determined to be ∼1.94 and 0.023 from the ellipsometric data, respectively, and the real dielectric function (ɛr) was estimated to be ∼6.8 at energy 5 eV. The ultrawide bandgap and dielectric function of ZGO recommend its possible potential applications in deep-ultraviolet optoelectronic devices and high-power electronics.