Influence of diamagnetic Pb doping on the crystal structure and multiferroic properties of the BiFeO 3 perovskite

Structural, magnetic, and electrical properties of Bi1−xPbxFeO3x= 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 polycrystalline prepared by solid solution route were studied. The crystal structure data obtained from x-ray diffraction indicate that the solid solution Bi1xPbxFeO3 successively transforms from rhombohedral to pseudocubic symmetry with an increase in the Pb concentration. The observed weak ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity at room temperature indicated the multiferroic nature of Pb-doped BiFeO3 compounds. The magnetoelectric coupling was estimated by the changes in the dielectric constant with an external magnetic field. It was found that the value of magnetodielectric effect have a maximum of 0.4% for Bi0.7Pb0.3FeO3 ceramic under a magnetic field of 12 kOe at room temperature. ©2009 American Institute of Physics