Oxygen octahedra distortion-induced multiferroic properties of Er and Zr co-doped BiFeO3 nanoparticles

The present work unveiled the distortion of oxygen octahedra influencing magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of novel Bi1-xErxFe1-yZryO3 (x = 0, .05, .1, y = .02, .05) polycrystalline nanoparticles by sol-gel route. X-ray diffraction patterns analysis reveals that pristine BiFeO3 and doped BiFeO3 are crystalized in the rhombohedral structure (R3c). The Fe-O-Fe bond angle of Bi1-xErxFe1-yZryO3 (x = 0, .05, .1, y = .02, .05) varies between 141 degrees and 159.62 degrees as the concentration of Er (via Bi site) and Zr (via Fe site) ions increases in BiFeO3. As a result, the tilt angle of oxygen octahedra and the canting angle of spiral spin arrangement increase. Hence, the maximum magnetization varies between .03144 and .37558 emu/g in Er and Zr co-doped BiFeO3 system. The number of electrons per unit cell of Bi1-xErxFe1-yZryO3 (x = 0, .05, .1, y = .02, .05) lies between 733.38 and 831, respectively. Further, the number of coherently diffracting domains increases from 3.07 to 5.21, and then it decreases when Er and Zr are increased in BiFeO3. Consequently, the magnetoelectric coupling coefficient varies between .0265 and .2511 mV/cm Oe, respectively. Particularly, Bi0.95Er0.05Fe0.98Zr0.02O3 shows enhanced magnetic and magnetoelectric behaviors compared to other samples.

Automated summary

The study investigates the influence of oxygen octahedra distortion on the magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of Bi1-xErxFe1-yZryO3 (x = 0, .05, .1, y = .02, .05) polycrystalline nanoparticles synthesized by sol-gel route. The doping of Er (via Bi site) and Zr (via Fe site) ions in BiFeO3 results in variations in the Fe-O-Fe bond angle, tilt angle of oxygen octahedra, and canting angle of spiral spin arrangement. This leads to changes in the magnetization, number of electrons per unit cell, coherently diffracting domains, and magnetoelectric coupling coefficient. Among the samples, Bi0.95Er0.05Fe0.98Zr0.02O3 exhibits enhanced magnetic and magnetoelectric behaviors.