Magnetic and electrical properties of single-phase multiferroic BiFeO3 -: art. no. 093903

We have reported the structural, thermal, microscopic, magnetization, polarization, and dielectric properties of BiFeO3 ceramics synthesized by a rapid liquid-phase sintering technique. Optimum conditions for the synthesis of single-phase BiFeO3 ceramics were obtained. Temperature-dependent magnetization and hysteresis loops indicate antiferromagnetic behavior in BiFeO3 at room temperature. Although saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loops were observed in single-phase BiFeO3 ceramic synthesized at 880 degrees C, the reduced polarization is found to be due to the high loss and low dielectric permittivity of the ceramic, which is caused by higher leakage current. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.