Antiferroelectricity and weak ferromagnetism in rare earth doped multiferroic BiFeO3

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The remanent polarization Pr and remanent magnetization Mr for different Sm-concentrations x in Sm-doped BiFeO3 is investigated using a microscopic model and the Green's function technique. For pure BiFeO3 with a rhombohedral symmetry we obtain a hysteresis loop P(E) which is typical for a ferroelectric material. Further increase of x (x = 0.16) leads to a double hysteresis loop, which is typical for an antiferroelectric substance. Sm substitution induces a weak ferromagnetic moment at room-temperature. Pr and Mr versus x show a maximum at x = 0.05. The ferroelectric phase transition temperature TC decreases strongly whereas the magnetic phase transition temperature TN increases slightly with increasing the Sm concentration x.