On the Room Temperature Ferromagnetic and Ferroelectric Properties of Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3

Abstract

We report the origin of room temperature (RT) ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties of Pb(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 (PFN) ceramic sample prepared by modified solid-state reaction synthesis by a single-step method, based on X-ray diffraction (XRD), neutron diffraction (ND), Mossbauer spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy results. Formation of single-phase monoclinic PFN ceramic with Cm space group was confirmed by XRD and ND at RT. The morphology studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed uniform microstructure of the sample with average grain size of ∼2 μm. The ND, Mossbauer spectroscopy, M–H loop and EPR studies were carried out to confirm the existence of weak ferromagnetism at RT. A clear opening of hysteresis (M–H) loop is evidenced as the existence of weak ferromagnetism at RT. EPR spectrum clearly shows the ferromagnetism through a good resonance signal. The symmetric EPR line shape with g = 1.9895 observed in PFN sample was identified to be due to Fe 3+ ions. Mossbauer spectroscopy at RT shows superparamagnetic behaviour with presence of Fe in 3 + valence state. Ferroelectric P–E loops on PFN at RT confirm the existing ferroelectric ordering. Our observation is in agreement with literature, and it supports that the origin of ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity is isolated, i.e. from different regions in the sample. Our results do not support the multiferroic nature of PFN at RT.