Raman spectroscopy for defects and crystalline disorder in oxide semiconductors

The workings of Raman spectroscopy and its use in the examination of flaws and crystalline disorder in oxide semiconductors are reviewed pedagogically in this chapter. Importantly these defects find their origin from the (1) presence of various vacancies and interstitial sites or (2) external doping. Some metal oxides, like SnO2, ZnO, and TiO2, which are typically nonmagnetic in nature in their pure state, can acquire magnetic character as a result of the occurrence of such defects. In this regard, the current chapter goes into great detail on a less complex but equally effective method called Raman spectroscopy to identify metal oxide defects and their impact on magnetic properties.