Magnetic ordering of perovskite-like La-, Nd-, and Gd-doped bismuth ferrite

Abstract

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) and La-, Nd- and Gd-substituted bismuth ferrite of the Bi1-xLaxFeO3, Bi1-xNdxFeO3, and Bi(1-x)GdxFeO3 types with the atomic part of the substitution element x equal up to 0.20 were synthesized by the solid-state reaction method using powders of oxides Bi2O3, Fe2O3, and La2O3, or Nd2O3, or Gd2O3 of pure grade quality and investigated using X-ray diffraction analysis. The magnetization was measured in the magnetic field up to 6.5x10^6 A/m at 5 and 300 K. It was found that the total substitution up to 0.20 atomic part of Bi by La, Nd, and Gd leads to the paramagnetic behavior of the doped bismuth ferrite at low temperatures in a wide range of magnetic field. Strong nonlinear dependence of magnetization on the magnetic field was detected and a ferromagnetic-like dependence of magnetization was observed for small magnetic fields. This can be explained by the exchange interaction between doping magnetic ions, as well as by the exchange interaction of these ions with ions of iron. The enhancement of magnetic properties with the increase of the content of the substitution is monotone and is more pronounced for the Bi(1-x)GdxFeO3 ceramics.