Structural, dielectric and magnetic properties of (Pb1−xCax)(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 solid solution ceramics

Ceramic samples of (Pb1−xCax)(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 with x=0.0, 0.20, 0.40, 0.45, 0.50, 0.55, 0.60 and 1.0 were fabricated by columbite precursor method. All the synthesized samples have a perovskite structure and unit cell volume decreases with increasing Ca content. The substitution of Ca for Pb has been found to have a pronounced effect on structural, dielectric and magnetic properties. Saturated magnetic loops were observed at room temperature for compositions with x≥0.40. The observed maximal magnetization at room temperature is rather small and varies non-monotonically with increasing Ca contents. It is supposed that room-temperature magnetic properties of (Pb1−xCax)(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 ceramics might be due to the presence of ferromagnetic impurity, presumably PbFe12O19 and/or CaFe12O19.