Room-temperature ferromagnetism of Co-doped Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3: Diluted magnetic ferroelectrics

Pure single-phase Co-doped (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 crystallites have been successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method. The as-prepared powders were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), physical property measurement system (PPMS), and electrostatic force microscopy (EFM). It is suggested that the as-obtained Co-doped (Na0.5Bi0.5)TiO3 crystallites exhibited a weak ferromagnetic order at room temperature and also possessed ferroelectric property in response to the applied external electric field. This method may provide an available way to get single-phase multiferroics and to resolve the problem of the scarcity of single-phase multiferroics in nature. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.