Room temperature multiferroicity with enhanced ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties in Ba0.75Pb0.25Ti1-xFexO3

Abstract

Polycrystalline Ba0.75Pb0.25Ti1-xFexO3 (0≤ x ≤0.148) (BPTF) ceramics have been synthesized by sol-gel auto combustion method. The structural, vibrational, electrical, and magnetic properties have been investigated. A detailed structural and vibrational analysis confirms the tetragonal phase in all samples. The proportion of a hexagonal phase increases with increasing Fe-doping. An elemental and morphological investigation reveals the presence of these two different phases. A relaxor-type phase transition is observed in high Fe-doped samples. These samples reveal a high dielectric constant for a wide temperature range. A tetragonal to the cubic phase transition is observed, and the transition temperature, Tm, decreases with increasing Fe concentration. However, Tm remains well above room temperature, ensuring the ferroelectric nature of all samples at room temperature. The ferroelectric nature of all the samples was confirmed from the presence of room-temperature P-E hysteresis loops. Simultaneously, an increase in ferromagnetic ordering at room temperature was confirmed from the presence of a notable ferromagnetic loop for higher doped samples. Hence, the presence of both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic components at room temperature ensures a multiferroic nature in the Fe-doped Ba0.75Pb0.25TiO3 system. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.