Effect of Particle Size on the Multiferroic Properties of Tb-Doped BiFeO3 Nanoparticles

Partial substitution of Tb at Bi site results in change of structure from rhombohedral to orthorhombic. Transmission electron micrograph shows the variation of particle size from 15–75 nm. Tb doping enhances the magnetic as well as electric properties of BiFeO 3 . Electric and magnetic behaviours of Bi 0.90 Tb 0.10 FeO 3 nanoparticles of different particle sizes reveal their enhancement as the particle size reduces. The signature of magnetoelectric coupling was marked by magnetic field dependence of polarization. The magnetoelectric coupling enhances with magnetic field due to magnetostriction effect. The calculated linear magnetoelectric coefficient registers a rise roughly by an order of one (10 −5 to 10 −4 ) on reducing particle size, which is precisely due to higher strain and increased suppression of spin spiral structure.