Phase-dependent multiferroism in Dy-doped BiFeO3 nanowires

Nanostructured multiferroics, multifunctional materials owning to their smaller size and the strong magnetoelectric coupling, open exciting innumerable ways for designing future nanoelectronic and spintronic device applications. Pure and 15% Dy-doped BiFeO3 nanowires of 20-nm size have been synthesized by colloidal dispersion template-assisted technique. Phase-dependent magnetic, electric and multiferroics properties of pure and Dy-doped BiFeO3 nanowires have been investigated. X-ray diffraction study reveals that pure BiFeO3 nanowires possess rhombohedral structure; however, 15% Dy-doped BiFeO3 nanowires are orthorhombic. X-ray photoemission analysis confirms the +3 oxidation state of Fe (Fe3+) and high purity of samples. Magnetic study confirms that the synthesized nanowires exhibit ferromagnetic behaviour, and, that the value of saturation magnetization, increased with structural change and doping of Dy in host BiFeO3. Polarization versus electric field study clearly reveals that the pure BiFeO3 nanowires possess elliptical loop due to leaky behaviour but 15% Dy-doping results in well saturated rectangular loop. Leakage current density decreases with increase in Dy doping. The magnetoelectric coupling in the synthesized nanowires has been estimated by magnetodielectric measurement. High value of magnetodielectric coefficient, 4.85%, has been observed for 15% Dy-doped BiFeO3 nanowires. In this communique we are for the first time reporting a new cue on phase-dependent multiferroics properties of Dy-doped BiFeO3 nanowires, which may prove to be a potential candidate for future technological device applications. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.