The demand for advanced materials with customizable properties is essential for meeting the needs of next-generation optoelectronic, photocatalytic, and photovoltaic technologies. In this study, \({\rm{Ba}}{{\rm{Ce}}}_{{\rm{x}}}{{\rm{Fe}}}_{2-{\rm{x}}}{{\rm{O}}}_{4}\) (x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06) ferrites were successfully synthesized using the sol–gel auto-combustion technique, and the effects of cerium substitution on their structural, optical, and magnetic properties were comprehensively investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed an increase in lattice parameters and unit cell volume, coupled with a reduction in crystallite size from 65.62 nm to 51.41 nm, reflecting Ce-induced lattice distortions. FTIR spectroscopy revealed shifts in absorption bands, suggesting enhanced vibrational stability and strengthened metal-oxygen bonds. Optical studies indicated a significant increase in bandgap energy from 1.69 eV to 2.16 eV, alongside systematic variations in refractive index and reflectivity, demonstrating improved optical transparency and tunable optical dielectric behavior. Magnetic measurements highlighted a decrease in saturation magnetization (Ms) and complex coercivity behavior influenced by disrupted magnetic interactions and anisotropy. These results underline the potential of \({\rm{Ba}}{{\rm{Ce}}}_{{\rm{x}}}{{\rm{Fe}}}_{2-{\rm{x}}}{{\rm{O}}}_{4}\) ferrites for applications in optoelectronic devices, photocatalysis, and photovoltaic systems.
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