Enhanced electric and magnetic properties in Ce-Cr co-doped bismuth ferrite nanostructure

The multiferroic BiFeO3 and Bi0.95Ce0.05Fe1-xCrxO3 (x=0, 0.05, 0.1) nanostructures have been synthesized using auto-combustion route and the influence of co-doping on its structural, magnetic and electrical properties is investigated. X-ray diffraction confirms single phase of all the samples. Little agglomerated particles with size in the range of 20-50 nm are obtained. Room temperature ferromagnetism is observed in which remnant (M-r) and saturation (M-s) magnetization increase considerably for Ce-Cr co-doped BFO. The strength of samples to sustain electric field is increased while leakage current is reduced as a result of Ce and Cr co-doping. Higher remnant polarization was obtained in P-E loop for doped BFO. Thus, co-substitution at Bi- and Fe-sites can improve multiferroic properties of BFO for various applications. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.