Enhanced ferromagnetism at the rhombohedral-tetragonal phase boundary in Pr and Mn co-substituted BiFeO3 powders

The effects of Pr substitution on the structure and magnetism of Bi(Fe0.95Mn0.05)O3 powders are investigated systemically. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectra results confirm a phase transition from rhombohedral to tetragonal structure with increasing Pr concentration and the phase boundary occurs at 14% Pr substitution. At the phase boundary composition, enhanced room temperature ferromagnetism has been observed with a remanent magnetization about 0.260 emu/g. The increased magnetization can be understood considering both the modification of the short-range canted G-type antiferromagnetic order at phase boundaries and the suppression of long-range incommensurate spin cycloid of BiFeO3 by Pr substitution. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.