Multiferroic approach for Cr,Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Cu substituted BaTiO3 nanoparticles

Abstract

Multiferroic magnetoelectric (ME) at room temperature is significant for new design nano-scale spintronic devices. We have given a comparative study to report multiferroicity in BaTM0.01Ti0.99O3 [TM = Cr,Mn,Fe,Co,Ni,Cu (1 mol% each) substituted BaTiO3 (BTO)] nanoparticles. The TM ions influenced both nano-size and lattice distortion of Ti–O6 octahedra to the BTO. X ray diffraction study indicates that the dopant TM could influence lattice constants, distortion, tetragonal splitting of diffraction peaks (002/200) as well as peak shifting of diffraction angle in the BTO lattice. This can induce lattice strain which responsible to oxygen defects formation to mediate ferromagnetism. Also, the lattice strain effect could responsible to reduce the depolarization field of ferroelectricity and provide piezoelectric and magnetostrictive strains to enhance ME coupling. The size of BTO nanoparticles is varied in 13–51 nm with TM doping. The room temperature magnetic measurement indicates antiferromagnetic exchange interactions in BTO lattice with TM ions. The zero-field cooling and field cooling magnetic measurement at 500 Oe indicates antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic transition. It also confirms that the substitution of Cr, Fe and Co into BTO could induce strong antiferromagnetic behavior. However, the substitutions of Mn, Ni and Cu have weak antiferromagnetic character. The temperature dependent dielectric measurements indicates polarization enhancement that influenced with both nano-size as well TM ions and exhibits ferroelectric phase transition with relaxor-like characteristics. Dynamic ME coupling is investigated, and the longitudinal ME voltage coefficient, αME is equivalent to linear ME coupling coefficient, is also calculated.