Structural and multiferroic properties of Bi0.885Sm0.115FeO3

Abstract The structural, vibrational, ferroelectric, and magnetic properties of monophasic and highly crystalline pure BiFeO 3 and Bi 0.885 Sm 0.115 FeO 3 solids as prepared by standard solid-state reaction route were reported. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirmed the rhombohedral R 3 c structure of both BiFeO 3 and Bi 0.885 Sm 0.115 FeO 3 ceramics. Rietveld refinements of XRD data revealed that the doping ions lead to unit cell contraction in three directions due to lower ionic radii of Sm 3+ ion (0.96 A) substituted at higher ionic radii Bi 3+ ion (1.03 A). The room temperature ferroelectric and magnetic hysteresis loops present the coexistence of magnetism and ferroelectricity in a single phase. The ferroelectric hysteresis loops exhibit an unsaturated behavior and represent a partial reversal of polarization at room temperature. Besides, this the room temperature magnetization measurement leads to an appearance of weak ferromagnetism.