Effect of yttrium on improvement of dielectric properties and magnetic switching behavior in BiFeO3

• Published in: Journal of physics. Condensed matter 2008-01, Vol.20 (4), p.045218-045218 (6)
• Main Authors: Mishra, R K, Pradhan, Dillip K, Choudhary, R N P, Banerjee, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Dielectric properties of solids and liquids; Dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic properties and materials; Permittivity (dielectric function); Physics; Spin arrangements in magnetically ordered materials (including neutron and spin-polarized electron studies, synchrotron-source x-ray scattering, etc.)
• ISSN: 0953-8984; 1361-648X
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/20/04/045218

Yttrium (Y) modified nanocrystalline samples of BiFeO3 (BFO) were prepared by a metal ion ligand complex-based precursor-solution evaporation method. Partial substitution of Y (0-15%) at the Bi site results in structural change (rhombohedral to tetragonal) and single phase formation. With increasing Y concentration, enhancement in dielectric ordering, reduction in loss tangent and improvement in magnetic ordering in BFO were observed. Diffuse peaks in both permittivity and loss tangent were observed at 207 deg C and 222 deg C, respectively, for 15% substitution of Y. In all the Y substituted BFO samples, a switching behavior in low fields was observed in the field dependence of magnetization, even at room temperature, and this behavior was found to be improved with increasing Y concentration.