Observation of the room temperature magnetoelectric effect in Dy doped BiFeO3

Polycrystalline Bi1-xDyxFeO3 (x = 0.0, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07 and 0.1) ceramics have been prepared via a mixed oxide route. The effect of Dy substitution on the dielectric, ferroelectric, and magnetic properties of the BiFeO3 multiferroic perovskite is studied. Experimental results suggest that in the Bi1-xDyxFeO3 system, increase of the Dy concentration leads to effective suppression of the spiral spin structure of BiFeO3, resulting in the appearance of net magnetization. An anomaly in the dielectric constant (epsilon) was observed in the vicinity of the antiferromagnetic transition temperature. All compositions show saturated polarization-field (P-E) curves. As a result, improved multiferroic properties of Bi0.9Dy0.1FeO3 ceramics with remnant polarization and magnetization (2P(r) and 2M(r)) of 7.98 mu C cm(-2) and 0.024 emu g(-1), respectively, were established. An enhancement in remnant polarization after poling the samples in the magnetic field was evidence of magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature.