Structure and multiferroic properties of Y-doped BiFeO3 ceramics

Bismuth ferrite, BiFeO₃, is an important multiferroic material, which simultaneously exhibits ferroelectric ordering and antifer-romagnetic ordering in bulk form. Samples of Bi_1-xY_xFeO₃ (x=0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20) were prepared by conventional solid state reaction. By X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering spectra, the crystal structures of the samples were identified as rhombo-hedral with R3c space group, in addition to a second phase at x≥0.05. Multiferroic properties of the samples were also measured. With the increasing of Y content, the relative dielectric constants of the samples increased gradually, while the loss tangents firstly decreased and then began to increase. Meanwhile, the saturation magnetization values were significantly enhanced, namely 0.1440, 0.7468, 1.9217, 3.3309 and 6.2774 emu/g at 300 K for x=0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20, respectively.