Room temperature ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties of multiferroics xLa0.7Sr0.3MnO3-(1-x)ErMnO3 (weight percent x=0.1, 0.2) composites

A different kind of multiferroics with composite character, xLa(0.7)Sr(0.3)MnO(3) (LSMO)-(1-x)ErMnO3 (EMO) (x=0.1, 0.2), where EMO is the ferroelectric (FE) and LSMO is the ferromagnetic (FM) component, has been studied. Magnetization versus magnetic field measurements at 300 K show prominent hysteresis loops, attesting room temperature FM behavior of these multiferroic composites. Dielectric constant (epsilon) as a function of temperature reveals that paraelectric-FE transition temperature T-C(*) (525 K) and maximum value of epsilon (318) remain almost unaffected for x=0.1 composite compared to pure EMO. Polarization versus electric field study at 300 K give conclusive evidence of the presence of spontaneous polarization in this x=0.1 composite. For x=0.2 composite, decreasing T-C(*) (430 K) with increase in epsilon value (774) indicates diffusive FE character. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.