Enhanced magnetization and polarization in chemically modified multiferroic (1−x)BiFeO3–xDyFeO3 solid solution

In order to develop multiferroics with large magnetization and polarization, we have prepared the (1−x)BiFeO3–xDyFeO3 (BF-DF) solid solution and systematically studied its properties. A morphotropic phase transition from rhombohedral perovskite (R3c) to orthorhombic orthoferrite (Pbnm) was found at x around 0.1. The magnetic properties of BiFeO3 were improved by the introduction of Dy3+ on the perovskite A site. Chemically modified Bi0.9Dy0.1Fe1−xTixO3+x/2 ceramics by aliovalent ionic substitution of Ti4+ for Fe3+ with excess Bi2O3 exhibit weak ferromagnetism and a typical ferroelectric hysteresis loop with a large remnant polarization of 23 μC/cm2 at room temperature and a large saturated magnetization (Ms=0.5 μB/f.u.) at 2 K. These properties entitle the BF-DF solid solution one of few multiferroic materials that exhibit both decent magnetization and electric polarization.