Influence of diamagnetic Pb doping on the crystal structure and multiferroic properties of the BiFeO3 perovskite

Abstract

Structural, magnetic, and electrical properties of Bi1−xPbxFeO3 (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) polycrystalline prepared by solid solution route were studied. The crystal structure data obtained from x-ray diffraction indicate that the solid solution Bi1−xPbxFeO3 successively transforms from rhombohedral to pseudocubic symmetry with an increase in the Pb concentration. The observed weak ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity at room temperature indicated the multiferroic nature of Pb-doped BiFeO3 compounds. The magnetoelectric coupling was estimated by the changes in the dielectric constant with an external magnetic field. It was found that the value of magnetodielectric effect have a maximum of 0.4% for Bi0.7Pb0.3FeO3 ceramic under a magnetic field of 12 kOe at room temperature.