Neutron diffraction study of the BiFeO₃ spin cycloid at low temperature

Neutron powder-diffraction study of phase transitions in strontium-doped bismuth ferrite: 1. Variation with chemical composition

We report results from a study of the crystal and magnetic structures of strontium-doped BiFeO₃using neutron powder diffraction and the Rietveld method. Measurements were obtained over a wide range of temperatures from 300-800 K for compositions between 10%-16% replacement of bismuth by strontium. The results show a clear variation of the two main structural deformations-symmetry-breaking rotations of the FeO₆octahedra and polar ionic displacements that give ferroelectricity-with chemical composition, but relatively little variation with temperature. On the other hand, the antiferromagnetic order shows a variation with temperature and a second-order phase transition consistent with the classical Heisenberg model. There is, however, very little variation in the behaviour of the antiferromagnetism with chemical composition, and hence with the degree of the structural symmetry-breaking distortions. We therefore conclude that there is no significant coupling between antiferromagnetism and ferroelectricity in Sr-doped BiFeO₃and, by extension, in pure BiFeO₃.

Tunable Valley and Spin Polarizations in BiXO3/BiIrO3 (X = Fe, Mn) Ferroelectric Superlattices

The generation and modulation on valley and spin degrees of freedom are essential for multifunctional electronic devices. Herewith, the electronic structures in BiXO₃/BiIrO₃ (X = Fe, Mn) ferroelectric superlattices are studied by first-principles calculations with spin-orbital coupling. Different from the previous BiAlO₃/BiIrO₃ system, both valley and spin polarizations in bilayered BiIrO₃ are achieved in BiXO₃/BiIrO₃ superlattices, where the spin polarization in the valley can be engineered by the spin orientation of Fe or Mn owing to the xy-plane orbitals. Especially, the relatively parallel and antiparallel directions of ferroelectric polarization in BiFeO₃ and BiIrO₃ can switch the valley injection in BiFeO₃/BiIrO₃ superlattices. Overall, the tunable valley and spin polarizations in BiFeO₃/BiIrO₃ ferroelectric superlattices pave a way for developing nonvolatile data memories and valley-spin devices.

Composition-driven structural phase transitions in rare-earth-doped BiFeO3 ceramics: a review

Bismuth ferrite suffers from high leakage currents and the presence of a complex incommensurate spin cycloidal magnetic ordering, which has limited its commercial viability and has led researchers to investigate the functionality of doped BiFeO3 ceramics. In particular, the substitution of rare earths onto the Bi(3+) site of the perovskite lattice have been shown to lead to improved functional properties, including lower leakage currents and the suppression of the magnetic spin cycloid. There is particular interest in materials with compositions close to structural morphotropic phase boundaries, because these may lead to materials with enhanced electronic and magnetic properties analogous to the highly relevant PbZrO3- PbTiO3 solid solution. However, many contradictory crystal structures and physical behaviors are reported within the literature. To understand the structure-property relationships in these materials, it is vital that we first unravel the complex structural phase diagrams. We report here a comprehensive review of structural phase transitions in rare-earth-doped bismuth ferrite ceramics across the entire lanthanide series. We attempt to rationalize the literature in terms of the perovskite tool kit and propose an updated phase diagram based on an interpretation of the literature.

Structure and spin dynamics of multiferroic BiFeO3

Multiferroic materials have attracted much interest due to the unusual coexistence of ferroelectric and (anti-)ferromagnetic ground states in a single compound. They offer an exciting platform for new physics and potentially novel devices. BiFeO3 is one of the most celebrated multiferroic materials and has highly desirable properties. It is the only known room-temperature multiferroic with TC ≈ 1100 K and TN ≈ 650 K, and exhibits one of the largest spontaneous electric polarisations, P ≈ 80 µC cm(-2). At the same time, it has a magnetic cycloid structure with an extremely long period of 620 Å, which arises from competition between the usual symmetric exchange interaction and the antisymmetric Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction. There is also an intriguing interplay between the DM interaction and single ion anisotropy K. In this review, we have attempted to paint a complete picture of bulk BiFeO3 by summarising the structural and dynamic properties of both the spin and lattice parts and their magneto-electric coupling.

Peculiar magnetism of BiFeO3 nanoparticles with size approaching the period of the spiral spin structure

Size effect of multiferroics is important for its potential applications in new type miniaturized multifunctional devices and thus has been widely studied. However, is there special size effect in the materials with spiral modulated spin structure (such as BiFeO₃)? It is still an issue to be investigated. In this report, structural, magnetic and magnetoelectric coupling properties are investigated for sol-gel prepared BiFeO₃ nanoparticles with various sizes. It is found that a structural anomaly arises for the particles with size close to the 62 nm period of the spiral modulated spin structure, which induces an obviously increased ferromagnetism. In addition, large magnetoelectric coupling effect is observed in 62 nm BiFeO₃ nanoparticles. Our result provides another insight into the size effect of BiFeO₃, and also a clue to the magnetic structure at nanoscale.

Terahertz spectroscopy of spin waves in multiferroic BiFeO3 in high magnetic fields

We have studied the magnetic field dependence of far-infrared active magnetic modes in a single ferroelectric domain BiFeO3 crystal at low temperature. The modes soften close to the critical field of 18.8 T along the [001] (pseudocubic) axis, where the cycloidal structure changes to the homogeneous canted antiferromagnetic state and a new strong mode with linear field dependence appears that persists at least up to 31 T. A microscopic model that includes two Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions and easy-axis anisotropy describes closely both the zero-field spectroscopic modes as well as their splitting and evolution in a magnetic field. The good agreement of theory with experiment suggests that the proposed model provides the foundation for future technological applications of this multiferroic material.

Prospects for Ferroelectrics: 2012–2022

A review is given of more than a dozen subtopics within the general study of ferroelectrics, with emphasis upon controversies, unsolved problems, and prospects for the next decade, including pure science and industrial applications. The review emphasizes work over the past two years, from 2010 to 2012.

magnetic dispersion and anisotropy in multiferroic BiFeO3

We have determined the full magnetic dispersion relations of multiferroic BiFeO3. In particular, two excitation gaps originating from magnetic anisotropies have been clearly observed. The direct observation of the gaps enables us to accurately determine the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction and the single ion anisotropy. The DM interaction supports a sizable magnetoelectric coupling in this compound.

Local weak ferromagnetism in single-crystalline ferroelectric BiFeO3

Polarized small-angle neutron scattering studies of single-crystalline multiferroic BiFeO(3) reveal a long-wavelength spin density wave generated by ∼1° spin canting of the spins out of the rotation plane of the antiferromagnetic cycloidal order. This signifies weak ferromagnetism within mesoscopic regions of dimension 0.03 microns along [110], to several microns along [111], confirming a long-standing theoretical prediction. The average local magnetization is 0.06 μ(B)/Fe. Our results provide an indication of the intrinsic macroscopic magnetization to be expected in ferroelectric BiFeO(3) thin films under strain, where the magnetic cycloid is suppressed.

Giant effect of uniaxial pressure on magnetic domain populations in multiferroic bismuth ferrite

Neutron diffraction is used to show that small (∼7 MPa, or 70 bar) uniaxial pressure produces significant changes in the populations of magnetic domains in a single crystal of 2% Nd-doped bismuth ferrite. The magnetic easy plane of the domains converted by the pressure is rotated 60° relative to its original position. These results demonstrate extreme sensitivity of the magnetic properties of multiferroic bismuth ferrite to tiny (less than 10(-4)) elastic strain, as well as weakness of the forces pinning the domain walls between the cycloidal magnetic domains in this material.

Skin layer of BiFeO(3) single crystals

A surface layer ("skin") different from the bulk was found in single crystals of BiFeO(3). Impedance analysis and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction reveal a phase transition at T(*)∼275±5 °C that is confined within the surface of BiFeO(3). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and refraction-corrected x-ray diffraction as a function of incidence angle and photon wavelength indicate a reduced electron density and an elongated out-of-plane lattice parameter within a few nanometers of the surface. The skin will affect samples with large surface to volume ratios, as well as devices that rely on interfacial coupling such as exchange bias.