Preparation, Structural and Magnetic Properties of Mn-Doped La0.1Bi0.9FeO3 Ceramics

Bi0.9La0.1Fe1-xMnxO3 ceramics with compositions x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 were prepared by solid state reaction. Ceramics with lower Mn content ( x < 0.4) tend to a single phase composition even after calcination at 650 degrees C for 2 hours. Unlikle the porous Bi0.9La0.1FeO3 ceramic sample, homogeneous and dense microstructures were obtained for all the manganese-modified compositions thermally treated in the same conditions. The effect of Mn substitution on the magnetic properties of the Bi(0.9)La(0.1)Fe(1-x)MnxO(3) ceramics was investigated. While the 10% La addition does not change the antiferromagnetic order typical to the BiFeO3 system, the presence of Mn has a non-monotonous influence on the magnetic moment values at a given field. A weak ferromagnetism seems to be induced around x = 0.2, while for x = 0.4 and 0.5, the antiferromagnetic order is back recovered. The compositions around x = 0.2 are candidate as multiferroic magnetoelectrics and they will be further investigated in detail.