Tunable magnetism of 3d transition metal doped BiFeO3

Electronic polarization or bond relaxation can effectively alter the electronic and magnetic behavior of materials by doping impurity atom. For this aim, the thermodynamic, electronic and magnetic performances of cubic BiFeO3 have been modulated by the 3d transition metal (TM) dopants (Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) based on the density functional theory. Results show that the doped specimen with low impurity concentration is more stable than that with high impurity concentration. The Mulliken charge values and spin magnetic moments of TM element are making major changes, while those of all host atoms are making any major changes. Especially, it is the linear relation between the spin magnetic moments of TM dopants and the total magnetic moment of doped specimens; thus, the variations of total magnetic moment of doped specimens are decided by the spin magnetic moments of TM dopants, thought the total magnetic moments of doped specimens mainly come from Fe atom and TM dopants. Besides, as double TM atoms substitution the Fe atoms, the Sc-, Ti-, Mn-, Co- and Zn-doped specimens show AFM state, while the V-, Cr-, Ni- and Cu-doped specimens show FM state.