Weak ferromagnetic ordering in Ca doped polycrystalline BiFeO3

Structural and magnetic properties of polycrystalline BiFeO3, Bi0.9Ca0.1FeO2.95, Bi0.9Ba0.05Ca0.05 FeO2.95, and Bi0.9Ba0.1FeO2.95 ceramic samples were studied to establish the effects of doping in BiFeO3 on the magnetic property. X-ray diffraction data of the undoped and doped BiFeO3 samples were refined to a rhombohedral structure with space group R3c. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study showed the formation of a single-phase in both the undoped and doped BiFeO3 ceramics with Fe in the 3+valence state. Ca doped and Ba-Ca co-doped BiFeO3 ceramic samples show weak ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature. This observation makes Ca doped and Ba-Ca co-doped BiFeO3 samples an interesting material system for magnetoelectric coupling studies. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3678449]