Multiferroic properties of Y-doped BiFeO3

Bi1.04-xYxFeO3 ceramics with x up to 0.30 were prepared by a tartaric acid modified sol-gel method. The crystal structure transformed from rhombohedral (R3c) to orthorhombic (Pn2(1)a) with increasing Y doping concentration, which was confirmed by the X ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman measurements. With increasing Y doping concentration x, the leakage current was effectively suppressed, and the room temperature ferromagnetism was strongly enhanced with increasing x to 0.30. Clear room temperature ferromagnetism with saturate magnetization of about 0.31 emu/g and ferroelectric properties with 25 mu C/cm(2) under electric field of 120 kV/cm have been observed in orthorhombic Bi0.74Y0.30FeO3, suggesting the potential multiferroic applications. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.