Impact of (Zr, Cu) Ion Substitution on the Optical, Dielectric, and Impedance Behavior of BiFeO3

In this paper, we report about the enhanced optical and dielectric properties of (Zr, Cu) dual-doped ceramics prepared by cost-effective sol-gel method. The variation in optical and electrical parameters with increased Zr concentration was studied in detail. The UV-visible spectra showed absorption peaks at 350 nm and 440 nm for all the samples. The optical bandgap energy of the Bi1-xZrxFe0.98Cu0.02O3 system was found to decrease from 2.41 to 1.78 eV as a measure of Zr concentration. Reduced bandgaps show the potential of these ferrites in visible light photocatalysis. With increase in frequency, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss were found to decrease without any resonance peak while the electrical conductivity increased. At 1 MHz, the dielectric constant (epsilon ') value as high as 8702 has been achieved for the doped sample. Impedance spectroscopy confirmed the semiconductor behavior of the ferrites. The Nyquist plots favor the non-Debye relaxation process. A remarkable improvement in the dielectric response of the (Zr, Cu) dual-doped BiFeO3 is observed which favors reduced eddy current loss thereby increasing its application in high-frequency devices.

Automated summary

This paper reports the enhanced optical and dielectric properties of (Zr, Cu) dual-doped ceramics prepared using a cost-effective sol-gel method. The study reveals the potential of these ferrites in visible light photocatalysis and their improved dielectric response, making them promising for high-frequency devices. Impedance spectroscopy confirms the semiconductor behavior of the materials.