Multiferroicity in Ba0.97La0.03Ti1−xNixO3 (0.03 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.07) ceramics

Abstract

Pure and doped BaTiO3 (BTO) with different doping concentrations e.g. Ba0.97La0.03Ti1−xNixO3 (x=0.03, 0.05, 0.07) were synthesized via sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirm the single phase formation for all samples. Polarization versus Electric field (P–E) loops for pure BTO shows non linear ferroelectric loop which tends towards lossy capacitor behavior as Ni doping concentration increases from x=0.03 to 0.07. Moreover, it is observed that the value of dielectric constant and dielectric loss increases with Ni doping concentration and found maximum for x=0.07 sample. Room temperature magnetization versus magnetic field (M–H) loops indicate the existence of ferromagnetism in x=0.03 sample. However, x=0.07 sample shows the presence of diamagnetic phase in this sample. Magnetoelectric study reveals the presence of magnetoelectric coupling only for pure and x=0.03 and 0.05 sample. However, the value of quadratic magnetoelectric coefficient (β) is maximum for x=0.03 sample, which is 3.34×10−4μV/cmOe2.