Modulation of structural, electrical, and magnetic features with dilute Zr substitution in Bi0.8La0.2Fe1-xZrxO3 system

A significant structural modification and enhancement of the electrical and magnetic properties with dilute substitution of Zr (≤1 mol. %) in the Bi0.8La0.2Fe1-xZrxO3 system has been reported. A mixture of rhombohedral and orthorhombic phases was detected in these conventionally sintered ceramics. Transition from a leaky state to an insulating state was observed upon Zr substitution. This is the first time that a drop in the electrical conductivity as large as 6 orders of magnitude for doping as small as 0.25 mol. % in bismuth ferrite systems has been reported. An investigation on the nature of this abrupt transition revealed the dominant role of defects. A proper consideration of possible defect reactions taking place during and after sintering satisfactorily accounts for the observed modulation in the electrical properties. Both AC and DC measurements indicate that, before Zr substitution, p-type hopping conduction prevails with an activation energy as low as ∼0.57 eV, whereas the Zr substitution makes oxide ion migration the central mechanism for conduction with the activation energy of ∼0.96–1.08 eV. In contrast to that, the magnetic properties of the compounds experience a more subtle effect; a gradual modification of saturation magnetization and coercivity with Zr substitution is observed. Curve fitting of the magnetic hysteresis loops not only allowed extraction of three separate contributions from the magnetic response but also helped to explain the effects of Zr on the magnetic properties. Modifications of structural characteristics and magnetic anisotropy of the samples are believed to be the primary driving force behind the improvement in the magnetic properties.