Interplay of piezoresponse and magnetic behavior in Bi0.9A0.1FeO2.95 (A = Ba, Ca) and Bi0.9Ba0.05Ca0.05FeO2.95 co-doped ceramics

Abstract

Extensive piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) measurements in conjunction with piezoresponse spectroscopy have been carried out on pellets of Bi_0.9A_0.1FeO_2.95 (A = Ba, Ca) and Bi₀.₉Ba₀.₀₅Ca₀.₀₅FeO_2.95 co-doped ceramic samples in order to characterize their ferroelectric and magnetic nature and correlate the findings with our recent far-infrared spectroscopic studies on these samples. We are able to clearly discern the switching behavior of the 71° and 109° ferroelectric domains as distinct from that of the 180° domains in both pristine and Ba-doped bismuth ferrite samples. While substitution of Ba at the Bi site in bismuth ferrite does not affect the ferroelectric and magnetic properties to a great extent, Ca-doped samples show a decrease in their d₃₃ values with a concomitant increase in their magnetic behavior. These results are in agreement with the findings from our far-infrared studies.