Tunability of magnetoelectric coupling in BiFeO3–PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3–CoFe2O4 tri-phase composites for ultra-fast switching applications

Abstract

Magnetoelectric coupling an exquisite feature of multiferroics make them suitable for advanced technological applications like magnetic sensors, spintronic devices, and fast-switching devices, respectively. In the present work, a series of tri-phase composites (1-x)(0.7BiFeO3 +0.3PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3) + xCoFe2O4 (x = 0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10) is synthesized through sol–gel auto-combustion method followed by the solid-state ball milling route. The analysis of X-ray diffraction patterns confirms the development of the rhombohedral perovskite phase of BiFeO3, the tetragonal phase of PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3, and the cubic spinel structure of CoFe2O4. The micrographs clearly show an increase in the average grain size by enhancing the CoFe2O4 contents having sharp and distinct grain boundaries. The energy-dispersive X-ray study assures the exact formation of a composite recipe through elemental mapping. The ferroelectric analysis comprising bipolar polarization versus electric field loops exhibits a significant decrease in maximum polarization with an increase in remanent polarization by enhancing the CoFe2O4 contents in the composite. The positive up and negative down sequence validates the presence of leakage current in all the samples with precise measurement of remanent polarization with and without switching polarization. The gradual increase of CoFe2O4 contents causes an increase in the magnetic response of the composites. Meanwhile, the magnetoelectric coupling phenomenon for all the composition shows a linear response whereas for x = 0.1 there is a slight reversibility observed, making this tri-phase composite a robust candidate for fast-switching devices.