Structural and multiferroic properties of BiFe0.5Co0.5O3 ceramics

The crystal and magnetic structure of polycrystaJline BiFe0.5Co0.5O3 prepared by a solid-state reaction method with multiple calcination. The sample are characterized by using various techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD) study is carried out for phase determination and lattice parameter calculations (a = 10.1812(4)). The ferroelectricity of the samples has been confirmed by the hysteresis loops measurement but the leakage current is quite large, implying that Co substitution has no effect of the improvement on ferroelectricity in BiFe0.5Co0.5O3 Samples. The magnetization measurement performed at room temperature showed a perfect hysteresis loop with large remnant magnetization (M-r approximate to 0.55 em mu/g) and low coercive field (H-c approximate to 197 Oe). The frequency dependence of admittance (Y') at room temperature turn out a resonance curve centered at f similar to 12.6 MHz and a negative overshoot as a typical of resonancelike behavior. The dielectric property of the BiFe0.5Co0.5O3 ceramics were investigated at intermediate frequencies (10(2)similar to 10(6) Hz) in the temperature rage of 100-560 degrees C.