Coexistence of room temperature ferroelectricity and ferrimagnetism in multiferroic BiFeO3–Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 solid solution

The structure, ferroelectric and magnetic properties of (1 − x)BiFeO3–xBi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (x = 0.37) solid solution fabricated by a sol–gel method have been investigated. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy measurements show a single-phase perovskite structure with no impurities identified. Compared with pure BiFeO3, the coexistence of ferroelectricity and ferrimagnetism have been observed at room temperature for the solution with remnant polarization Pr = 1.41 μC/cm2 and remnant magnetization Mr = 0.054 emu/g. Importantly, a magnetic transition from ferrimagnetic (FM) ordering to paramagnetic (PM) state is observed, with Curie temperature TC ∼ 330 K, being explained in terms of the suppression of cycloid spin configuration by the structural distortion.

► In this study, the coexistence of ferroelectrics and ferrimagnetism have been observed at room temperature for the (1 − x)BiFeO3–xBi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (x = 0.37) solid solutions. ► X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy measurements show a single-phase perovskite structure with no impurities identified. ► A magnetic transition from paramagnetic (PM) to ferrimagnetic (Ferri) ordering is observed for the solution with Curie temperature TC ∼ 330 K.