Intrinsic study for magnetoelectric coupling in Pb1−xSrx(Fe0.012Ti0.988)O3 nanoparticles

Intrinsic magnetoelectric (ME) coupling due to anomal phase transition temperature of multiferroic Pb1−xSrx(Fe0.012Ti0.988)O3 (PSFT) has been studied. The average particle size of PSFT specimens was measured from X-ray diffraction peaks and scanning electron microscopy. The ferromagnetic phase transition temperature (Tpm)(Tpm) was evaluated by temperature dependent heat flow, initial permeability (μi)(μi) and magnetic susceptibility (χ)(χ). However, ferroelectric phase transition temperature (Tpe)(Tpe) was observed from temperature dependent relative permittivity (ε)(ε), and dc resistivity (ρdc)(ρdc). The doping of Fe in PbTiO3 (PSFT0) has greatly reduced TpeTpe, while the doping of Sr in PSFT0 has reduced TpmTpm. The higher frequency dependent dielectric constant is explained in terms of higher dc resistivity of the PSFT nanoparticles involving Variable-Range-Hopping (VRH) conduction. The observed VRH mechanism shows low value of activation energy (i.e., in the order of meV) of fermi gap giving large ME output.