Rietveld analysis, magnetic, transport, and optical properties of (1 − x)BiFeO3–(x)Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 ceramics prepared by sol–gel route

Abstract

Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT)-modified samples of BiFeO3 (BFO) were synthesized by a sol–gel method in composition range 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15 to see the effect of PZT on structural, optical, dielectric, and magnetic properties of BFO ceramics. It is demonstrated that the PZT-modified BFO can expressively improve the dielectric and magnetic properties. Structural analysis was carried out with the Rietveld FullProf program, revealed that changes in lattice parameters and stability of rhombohedral structure with R3c symmetry up to x = 0.15 dilution of PZT. Structural distortion and strain were calculated by the Williamson–Hall approach. Moreover, a significant improvement in magnetization at room temperature was achieved for PZT-modified samples ascribed to the disturbance in the spin cycloid arrangement of Fe ions. PZT-modified BFO samples are showing better dielectric properties than undoped BFO attributed to suppression of Bi and oxygen vacancies. Our results demonstrate that the significant role of PZT can be seen in conductivity vs. 1000/T plots and the appearance of dissimilar kinds of conduction mechanisms in the different linear regions. Optical studies were performed in the 1 eV–4.5 eV spectral range and the calculated optical bandgap was found to decrease with PZT doping. The results of infrared spectroscopy show shifts of IR phonon modes in the lower wavenumber side.