Effect of Rare-earth Modification on Structural, Ferroelectric and Ferromagnetic Properties of BiFeO3 Ceramics at Room Temperature
摘要
The polycrystalline samples of (i.e., Bi0.9R0.1FeO3 (BRFO); R = Gd, Sm, Dy, Nd, and Pr) were fabricated by a mixed oxide method technique. According to an initial X-ray structural investigation, the materials' crystal structures are rhombohedral. After 10% of rare-earth ions are substituted on BiFeO3, the crystal structure of the materials remains invariant. From scanning electron microscope verifies that the grain size of the doped samples reduced. The results revealed a homogeneous distribution of rod- and plate-shaped grains as well as a range of plate sizes. Extensive analyses of the samples' conductivity and dielectric properties were conducted at room temperature throughout a narrow frequency range (1 kHz–1 MHz), indicating possible potential applications. By using P-E and M-H loop measurements, these samples' ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism were both detected at room temperature.