Phase evolution and enhanced piezoelectric, multiferroic, and magnetoelectric properties in Cr–Mn co-doped BiFeO3–BaTiO3 system

Cr–Mn co-doped (1 − y)BiFe1 − xCrxO3–yBaTi1 − xMnxO3 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.1, 0.15 ≤ y ≤ 0.3) (BFC-BTM) ceramics were fabricated by a sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering experiments show a Cr–Mn co-doping-induced gradual structural transformation from the rhombohedral to pseudo-cubic phase, near which the morphotropic phase boundaries (MPB) are established. Detailed ferroelectric (FE) and dielectric analyses show a composition x-induced FE to relaxor FE and finally to dipole glass (DG) phase transitions. The structure-physical property phase diagram is obtained for the Cr–Mn co-doped BFC-BTM system. Improved piezoelectric and magnetoelectric properties are revealed in the samples near the MPB. All these results suggest that Cr–Mn substitution in BiFeO3-based systems is effective for obtaining room-temperature multiferroics near MPB with enhanced magnetoelectric effects.