Rietveld refinement and multiferroic properties of Gd and Ti co-doped BiFeO3.

Bi0.8Gd0.2Fe0.95Ti0.05O3 (BGFT) multiferroic ceramics were prepared by a solid-state reaction, and their sintering, microstructure, dielectric and magnetic properties were studied. Experimental results show that BGFT ceramics sintered at 980 °C possess a pure orthorhombic (space group, Pnma) structure, and these ceramics possess high relative theoretical density (∼95%), low leakage current density (10−6 A/cm2). The magnetic and electric measurements show the coexistence of ferroelectric and weak ferromagnetic in BGFT ceramics. The results of the Rietveld refinement for BGFT ceramics reveal the existence of bismuth and oxygen vacancies, and these vacancies have an important influence on the electric and magnetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]