Magnetic, Dielectric and Complex Impedance Properties of xBa0.95Sr0.05TiO3–(1 − x)BiFe0.9Gd0.1O3 Multiferroic Ceramics

Abstract

xBa0.95Sr0.05TiO3–(1 − x)BiFe0.9Gd0.1O3 [xBST–(1 − x)BFGO] (x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.25) multiferroic ceramics were prepared by the standard solid-state reaction technique. Structural characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction. All the samples showed rhombohedral distorted perovskite structure. Surface morphology of the ceramics was studied by the field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). From the FESEM observation, the grain size was observed to be decreased with increasing BST content. Enhanced magnetic properties were observed in BFGO with the increase in BST content because of large lattice distortion. The complex initial permeability increased with the increasing of BST content. The study of dielectric properties showed that the dielectric constant increased, whereas dielectric loss decreased with increasing of BST content due to the reduction of oxygen vacancies. An analysis of the electric impedance and modulus with frequency was performed at different temperatures. Non-Debye-type relaxation processes occur in the compound which was confirmed from the nature of the Cole–Cole plot. The DC conductivity was found to increase with the rise in temperature which indicates the semiconducting behavior of the compound with characteristics of the negative temperature coefficient of resistance. The activation energy, responsible for the relaxation determined from the modulus spectra (0.246 eV), was found to be almost same as the value obtained from the impedance study (0.240 eV), indicating that charge carriers overcome the same energy barrier during relaxation. The frequency response of imaginary parts of electric impedance and modulus suggested that the relaxation in xBST–(1 − x)BFGO ceramics follows the same mechanism at various temperatures.