Large remnant polarization and magnetic field induced destruction of cycloidal spin structure in Bi{sub 1-x}La{sub x}FeO{sub 3} (0 {<=} x {<=} 0.2)

Journal Article · Fri Jun 07 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4808353· OSTI ID:22162991

Yin, L. H.; Yang, J.; Zhao, B. C.; Liu, Y.; Tan, S. G.; Tang, X. W.; Dai, J. M.; Song, W. H. ^[1]; Sun, Y. P. ^[1]

---

1. Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Hefei 230031, People's Republic of China (China)

We prepared a series of Bi{sub 1-x}La{sub x}FeO{sub 3} (0 {<=} x {<=} 0.2) ceramics with a sol-gel method and find that both the magnetization and dielectric constant show an abrupt anomaly near a critical field H{sub c}, which is attributed to the destruction of the cycloidal antiferromagnetic spin structure. The critical field H{sub c} decreases substantially from {approx}20 T for the x = 0 sample [Y. F. Popov et al., JETP Lett. 57, 69 (1993)] to {approx}2.8 T for the x = 0.17 sample and finally to 0 T for the x = 0.2 sample at room temperature (RT). It is also found that H{sub c} increases with decreasing temperature. The variation of H{sub c} with La substitution and temperature can be ascribed to the change in the magnetic anisotropy and isotropic superexchange interaction, respectively. We have also discussed the magnetodielectric effects in these samples in terms of the Ginzburg-Landau theory and the spin-phonon model. Moreover, increasing the doping level of La to 0.15 greatly improves the RT leakage-current and ferroelectric (FE) properties. A RT square-shaped FE hysteresis loop with remnant polarization (2P{sub r}) as high as {approx}64 {mu}C/cm{sup 2} is obtained for the x = 0.15 sample. These results may be important for potential applications in BiFeO{sub 3}-based magnetoelectric devices.

• OSTI ID: 22162991
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 113, Issue 21; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANISOTROPY
ANTIFERROMAGNETIC MATERIALS
ANTIFERROMAGNETISM
BISMUTH COMPOUNDS
CERAMICS
CRITICAL FIELD
FERRITES
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
GINZBURG-LANDAU THEORY
LANTHANUM COMPOUNDS
LEAKAGE CURRENT
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
MAGNETIZATION
PERMITTIVITY
POLARIZATION
SOL-GEL PROCESS
SPIN
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K