Size effect study in magnetoelectric BiFeO3 system

In this paper, we report for the first time finite size effects on Neel temperature (T N) of magnetoelectric BiFeO3 system. Novel wet chemical route has been developed to produce fine particles of BiFeO3 with controlled size and size distribution. Unlike other oxide systems, lattice volume contraction has been observed with decrease in particle size. The decrease in T N is co-related to unit cell volume contraction occurring with reduction in particle size.