Electrical and magnetic studies on promising Aurivillius intergrowth compound

Aurivillius intergrowth multiferroic phases are inspiring to many researchers owing to their scientific and technological application point of view. We have synthesized the intergrowth of promising three-layered Bi 3.25 La 0.75 Ti 3 O 12 (BLT) and four-layered Bi 4 NdTi 3 Fe 0.7 Co 0.3 O 15 (BNTF) compounds. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data was analyzed by comparing our data with a standard eight-layered compound (Bi 9 Ti 6 FeO 27 ) and the lattice parameters were evaluated. Showing a shoulder peak at maximum XRD intensity peak (1 1 8) is considered to be a signature of intergrowth formation. Scanning electron microscopic images have shown non-uniform disk-like grains with no preferential orientation. In order to extract information about relaxation species, Nyquist plots (Cole–Cole plots) were drawn at different temperatures. AC activation energies were evaluated from σ ac vs. 1000/T plots, drawn at 10 kHz, 50 kHz and 100 kHz. Based on the impedance studies it is concluded that the hopping mechanism prefers through the doubly ionized oxygen atom vacancies and this phenomenon is corroborated to dielectric relaxation. Room temperature magnetic measurements display a weak ferromagnetic order. The intergrowth compound (BLT–BNTF) displayed ME coefficient (= 0.123 mV/cm–Oe) at lower magnetic fields. This is the most striking factor and helpful to fabricate room temperature Magnetoelectric sensors.