Study of dielectric, magnetic and ferroelectric properties in Bi1-xGdxFeO3

Gd-doped BiFeO3 polycrystalline ceramics were synthesized by solid-state reaction method and their dielectric and magnetic properties were investigated. X-ray diffraction pattern showed that Bi1-xGdxFeO3 (x=0, 0.05 and 0.1) ceramics were rhombohedral. The Gd substitution has suppressed the usual impurity peaks present in the parent compound and we obtained single phase Bi0.9Gd0.1FeO3 ceramic. Gd substitution reduced the antiferromagnetic Neel temperature (T-N) in Bi1-xGdxFeO3. An anomaly in the dielectric constant(epsilon) and dielectric loss(tan (delta)) in the vicinity of the anti ferromagnetic Neel temperature (T-N) was observed. Ferroelectric and magnetic hysteresis loops measured at room temperature indicated the coexistence of ferroelectricity and magnetism. The room temperature magnetic hysteresis loops were not saturated, but the magnetic moment was found to increase with increase in Gd concentration. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.