Structural, electrical and magnetic properties of BiFe1-xYxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.6) ceramics

The effect of Y substitution on the microstructure, dielectric, magnetic and leakage current properties of BiFe1-xYxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.6) ceramics was investigated. The BiFeO3 phase that is dominant at x = 0.0 – 0.2 decreased with the increase of Y substitution. Other phases such as YFeO3 and Bi1.46Y0.54O3 emerged with Y substitution and became dominant in the range x = 0.3 – 0.4 and 0.5 – 0.6, respectively. The BiFe1-xYxO3 composites of rounded shape grains at x = 0.0 deformed at x = 0.1 – 0.3 and changed to melted-like grains at x = 0.4 – 0.6 with the incorporation of smaller grains at x = 0.5 and 0.6. The sample with x = 0.2 had the highest remnant magnetization (Mr = 0.09 emu/g) and saturation magnetization (Ms = 2.9 emu/g). The sample with x = 0.4 showed the highest dielectric constant of 104 and lowest loss tangent of 1.34 × 10-4. The leakage current was significantly reduced to a lower value of 2.80 × 10-8 A/cm2 at x = 0.6