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Among the different bulk alloys of the room temperature multiferroic compound BiFeO3, alloying with ATiO3 (A = Ba, Sr, Pb) is interesting as they have been reported to induce ferromagnetism under certain conditions. While this makes them interesting as potential multiferroic magnetoelectric materials, there is a lack of clarity on the origin of ferromagnetism in these systems. We have performed a detailed magneto-structural analysis on two alloys, namely, BiFeO3-BaTiO3 and BiFeO3-SrTiO3, and found the systems' propensity for the formation of ferrimagnetic hexaferrite (BaFe12O19 and SrFe12O19) phases. Though insignificantly small to the extent of being undetectable by x-ray powder diffraction, we prove that the ferromagnetic character of the specimen is entirely due to spontaneous precipitation of the hexaferrite grains. While our results suggest that care should be exercised before attributing ferromagnetism in such alloy systems as intrinsic to the perovskite phase, the propensity for the spontaneous precipitation of the hexaferrite phase in these multiferroic alloy systems is encouraging as it provides an opportunity for designing self-grown ferroelectric-ferromagnetic composites with good magnetoelectric coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interlayer magneto-electric coupling in BiFeO3/SrRuO3 heterostructures was investigated by impedance spectroscopy over a temperature range of 80 K-260 K. In-plane impedance measurements were performed using interdigitated gold electrodes fabricated on the BiFeO3 layer. The Nyquist plots at different temperatures were fitted with an equivalent circuit model of the heterostructure. A pronounced dip in the temperature coefficient of equivalent-capacitance and a distinct increase in the temperature coefficient of equivalent-resistance of the BiFeO3 layer were observed on cooling across ferromagnetic TC of the bottom SrRuO3 layer. Temperature dependent capacitance (at 0 T magnetic fields) and magneto-capacitance (at 5 T magnetic fields) plots showed anomalies near 160 K. A shift of the hysteresis loop along the magnetization axis in field cooled M-H measurements was also found, which indicates the presence of pinned SrRuO3 moments due to the magnetic interaction at the interface. These observations suggest a strong magneto-electric coupling between the BiFeO3 and SrRuO3 layers of this heterostructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lattice strain and domain switching behavior of xBiScO3-(1-x)PbTiO3 (x=0.40) was investigated as a function of cyclic field and grain orientation by in situ X-ray diffraction during application of electric fields. The electric field induced 200 lattice strain was measured to be five times larger than the 111 lattice strain in pseudorhombohedral xBiScO3-(1-x)PbTiO3 (x=0.40). It is shown that the anomalous 200 lattice strain is not an intrinsic phenomenon, but arises primarily due to stress associated with the reorientation of the 111 domains in dense polycrystalline ceramic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lattice strain and domain switching behavior of xBiScO3-(1-x)PbTiO3 (x = 0.40) was investigated as a function of cyclic field and grain orientation by in situ X-ray diffraction during application of electric fields. The electric field induced 200 lattice strain was measured to be five times larger than the 111 lattice strain in pseudorhombohedral xBiScO3-(1-x)PbTiO3 (x = 0.40). It is shown that the anomalous 200 lattice strain is not an intrinsic phenomenon, but arises primarily due to stress associated with the reorientation of the 111 domains in dense polycrystalline ceramic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal structure, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric behaviors of the Ba(Ti1-xCex)O3 solid solution have been investigated at close composition intervals in the dilute concentration regime. Ce concentration as low as 2mol. % induces tetragonal-orthorhombic instability and coexistence of the phases, leading to enhanced high-field strain and direct piezoelectric response. Detailed structural analysis revealed tetragonal + orthorhombic phase coexistence for x=0.02, orthorhombic for 0.03≤x≤0.05, and orthorhombic + rhombohedral for 0.06≤x≤0.08. The results suggest that Ce-modified BaTiO3 is a potential lead-free piezoelectric material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Zr, Hf, and Sn in BaTiO3 has been investigated at close composition intervals in the dilute concentration limit. Detailed structural analysis by x-ray and neutron powder diffraction revealed that merely 2mol.% of Zr, Sn, and Hf stabilizes a coexistence of orthorhombic (Amm2) and tetragonal (P4mm) phases at room temperature. As a consequence, all the three systems show substantial enhancement in the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d33), with Sn modification exhibiting the highest value ~425 pC/N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural, microstructural, and dielectric studies have been carried out on Pr-modified PbTiO3. A comparative analysis with La-modified PbTiO3 suggests that for chemical modification by same amount, the Pr-modified system has larger tetragonal strain and Curie point. No clear feature of relaxor ferroelectric state is observed for Pr concentration as high as x=0.35, suggesting that Pr modification is less effective, as compared to La-modification, in inducing a relaxor ferroelectric state. Results suggest that inspite of increased chemical disorder, Pr modification partly tends to restore the ferroelectric distortion of the lattice through partial occupancy of the Pr4+ ions on the Ti4+ sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutron powder diffraction and temperature dependent dielectric studies were carried out on Ca-substituted Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3, i.e., (Na0.5Bi0.5)1-xCaxTiO3. Stabilization of an orthorhombic phase even at a low Ca concentration (0.05

Neutron powder diffraction and temperature dependent dielectric studies were carried out on Ca-substituted Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3, i.e., (Na0.5Bi0.5)1-xCaxTiO3. Stabilization of an orthorhombic phase even at a low Ca concentration (0.050.5Bi0.5TiO3 (NBT) is susceptible to orthorhombic distortion. The orthorhombic and rhombohedral phases coexist for x=0.10, suggesting these phases to be nearly degenerate. The orthorhombic distortion favoring tendency of Ca assists in promoting the inherent instability with regard to this structure in pure NBT, which was reported recently [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The system (1-x)PbTiO3-(x)BiAlO3 has been investigated with regard to its solid solubility, crystal structure, microstructure, and ferroelectric transition. The unit cell volume and the tetragonality exhibit anomalous behavior near x=0.10. The Curie point (TC) of PbTiO3 was however found to be nearly unchanged. The study seems to suggest that the decrease in the stability of the ferroelectric state due to dilution of the Ti-sublattice by smaller sized Al+3 ions is compensated by the increase in the ferroelectric stability by the Bi+3 ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of conducting oxide CaRuO3 has been studied as a function of temperature up to 1300 °C by neutron powder diffraction. The structure is found to remain orthorhombic, in space group Pbnm, over the entire temperature range. The structural rigidity is evidenced by the fact that the octahedral tilt angles change by only ∼3° over the entire temperature range. The absence of any structural phase transition in this temperature range and retention of its conducting properties make CaRuO3 more useful compared to its counterpart SrRuO3 with regard to its application as metallic-interface/electrode/substrate material in epitaxial thin film devices to be used at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural, microstructural, and dielectric studies have been carried out on Pr-modified PbTiO3. A comparative analysis with La-modified PbTiO3 suggests that for chemical modification by same amount, the Pr-modified system has larger tetragonal strain and Curie point. No clear feature of relaxor ferroelectric state is observed for Pr concentration as high as x=0.35, suggesting that Pr modification is less effective, as compared to La-modification, in inducing a relaxor ferroelectric state. Results suggest that inspite of increased chemical disorder, Pr modification partly tends to restore the ferroelectric distortion of the lattice through partial occupancy of the Pr4+ ions on the Ti4+ sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Zr, Hf, and Sn in BaTiO3 has been investigated at close composition intervals in the dilute concentration limit. Detailed structural analysis by x-ray and neutron powder diffraction revealed that merely 2mol.% of Zr, Sn, and Hf stabilizes a coexistence of orthorhombic (Amm2) and tetragonal (P4mm) phases at room temperature. As a consequence, all the three systems show substantial enhancement in the longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d33), with Sn modification exhibiting the highest value ~425 pC/N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]