Structural phase transition and multiferric properties of Y, Eu co-doped BiFe0.97Mn0.03O3 nanoparticles

Pure BiFeO3 (BFO), BiFe(0.97)Mn(0.03)O(3 )and Bi0.9YxEu0.1-xFe0.97Mn0.03O3 (x = 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07) nanoparticles were synthesized to study the relation between multiferroic properties and structure. The XRD results in such undoped and doped samples suggested that the rhombohedral structure was distorted due to the co-doping, whereas the modification has an impact on the structural parameters. Scanning electron microscopy studies clearly showed the decrease of average grain size due to the co-doping of Y and Eu in the BFO. Moreover, the presence of Y and Eu caused an increment in the magnetic and ferroelectric properties, and the sample with the highest Mr (0.154 emu/g) and Hc (9.02 kOe) values was the x = 0.07 one. The origin of such enhanced multiferroic properties has been demonstrated on the structural phase transition.