Room temperature structural, morphological, and enhanced ferroelectromagnetic properties of xBa0.7Ca0.3TiO3−(1−x)BaFe0.2Ti0.8O3 multiferroic composites

Iron substituted barium titanate (BaTiO3, BT) has been found to exhibit both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic behavior at room temperature [Xu et al., Phys. Rev. B 79, 134109 (2009)]. However, ferroelectric properties of Fe-doped BT are not as pronounced as those of pure BT. It happens because iron doping causes hexagonal phase formation which inhibits ferroelectricity. We observed enhanced ferroelectric properties in x(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3/(1−x)Ba(Fe0.2Ti0.8)O3 [(BCT-BFT) where x = 0.10, 0.15, 0.20] composites while maintaining the ferromagnetic characteristics. Structural and morphological studies reveal that composite with low content of BCT possesses dominating hexagonal phase, whereas tetragonal phase is more prominent in composite with higher BCT concentration. Such composite systems with enhanced ferroelectric and ferromagnetic behavior may be useful for room temperature multiferroic devices.