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Sm-doped BiFeO3 compacted powders with composition across the morphotropic phase boundary region were prepared by sol-gel method. Crystal structure, morphology and magnetic state of the compounds were analyzed as a function of dopant concentration, temperature and external pressure using synchrotron and laboratory X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, Raman and Mossbauer spectroscopy. Application of external pressure shifts the phase transition from the rhombohedral structure to the nonpolar orthorhombic structure towards lower concentration of the dopant content, wherein the amount of the anti-polar orthorhombic phase notably decreases. Raman and Mossbauer spectroscopy data provides additional information about the structural distortion on local scale level which testifies faster formation of nonpolar orthorhombic phase and associated modification in the magnetic state in the compounds subjected to high pressure. Temperature increase leads to the structural transition to the nonpolar orthorhombic phase regardless the structural state at room temperature; furthermore, application of external pressure decreases the phase transition temperature.

A correlation between the crystal structure and magnetic properties of system (1-x)BiFeO$_3$-(x)BaTiO$_3$ with compounds across the morphotropic phase boundary was studied using X-ray and neutron diffraction, magnetometry, and Mossbauer spectroscopy measurements. Increase in the dopants content leads to the structural transition from the rhombohedral phase to the cubic phase via a formation of the two-phase region (0.2 < x < 0.33), wherein the magnetic structure changes from the modulated G-type antiferromagnetic to the collinear antiferromagnetic via a stabilization of the non-collinear antiferromagnetic phase with non-zero remanent magnetization. The value of magnetic moment calculated per iron ion based on the Mossbauer and neutron diffraction data decreases from m = 4.4 mB for the compound with x=0.25 to m=3.2 mB for the compound with x=0.35 testifying a dominance of 3+ oxidation state of the iron ions. Increase in the amount of the cubic phase leads to a reduction in the remanent magnetization from 0.02 emu.g for the compounds with the dominant rhombohedral phase (x < 0.27) down to about 0.001 emu/g for the compounds with dominant cubic structure (x >= 0.27). Rapid decrease in the remanent magnetization observed in the compounds across the phase coexistence region points at no direct correlation between the type of structural distortion and non-zero remanent magnetization, while the oxygen octahedra tilting is the key factor determining the presence of non-zero remanent magnetization.

Samarium substituted bismuth ferrite (BiFeO3) ceramics prepared by sol-gel synthesis method were studied using both local scale and microscopic measurement techniques in order to clarify an evolution of the crystal structure of the compounds across the morphotropic phase boundary region. X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission and scanning electron microscopies, XPS, EDS/EDX experiments and piezoresponse force microscopy were used to study the structural transitions from the polar active rhombohedral phase to the anti-polar orthorhombic phase and then to the non-polar orthorhombic phase, observed in the Bi1-xSmxFeO3 compounds within the concentration range of 0.08 < x < 0.2. The results obtained by microscopic techniques testify that the compounds in the range of 0.12 < x < 0.15 are characterized by two phase structural state formed by a coexistence of the rhombohedral and the anti-polar orthorhombic phases; two phase structural state observed in the compounds with 0.15 < x < 0.18 is associated with a coexistence of the anti-polar orthorhombic and the non-polar orthorhombic phases. Local scale measurements have revealed a notable difference in the concentration range ascribed to the morphotropic phase boundary estimated by microscopic measurements, the obtained results testify a wider concentration range ascribed to a coexistence of different structural phases, the background of the mentioned difference is discussed.

Samarium doped BiFeO3 compounds having nano-size crystallites were prepared by the ethylene glycol assisted sol-gel synthesis method. X-ray diffraction and SEM measurements as well as Raman spectroscopy and FTIR experiments were used to clarify the evolution of the crystal structure on microscopic and local scale levels in the compounds having formula Bi1-xSmxFeO3, where x equals from 0 to 1. Magnetization measurements along with the structural data were used to determine a correlation between magnetic properties and crystal structure of the compounds. The compounds with from x 0.1-0.2 are characterized by the sequence of the structural transitions driven by the dopant increase, from the polar rhombohedral phase to the non-polar orthorhombic phase via two-phase regions characterized by the presence of the anti-polar orthorhombic phase. The concentration regions ascribed to a coexistence of the rhombohedral and the anti-polar orthorhombic phases as well as theanti-polar orthorhombic and the non-polar orthorhombic phases are observed in the ranges from 0.12 to 0.15 and from 0.15 to 0.18 respectively. The compounds having single-phase rhombohedral structure are characterized by a release of remnant magnetization as compared to ceramics with similar chemical compositions but synthesized by the solid-state reaction method and having microscopic size crystallites. A correlation between the type of structural distortion, morphology of crystallites and an onset of remnant magnetization is discussed highlighting a difference in the evolution of crystal structure and magnetization observed for the Sm-doped ceramics prepared by modified sol-gel method and conventional solid-state reaction technique.