Interplay of piezoresponse and magnetic behavior in Bi(0.9)A(0.1)FeO(2.95) (A = Ba, Ca) and Bi(0.9)Ba(0.05)Ca(0.05)FeO(2.95) co-doped ceramics

Extensive piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) measurements in conjunction with piezoresponse spectroscopy have been carried out on pellets of Bi(0.9)A(0.1)FeO(2.95) (A = Ba, Ca) and Bi(0).(9)Ba(0).(05)Ca(0).(05)FeO(2.95) co-doped ceramic samples in order to characterize their ferroelectric and magnetic nature and correlate the findings with our recent far-infrared spectroscopic studies on these samples. We are able to clearly discern the switching behavior of the 71° and 109° ferroelectric domains as distinct from that of the 180° domains in both pristine and Ba-doped bismuth ferrite samples. While substitution of Ba at the Bi site in bismuth ferrite does not affect the ferroelectric and magnetic properties to a great extent, Ca-doped samples show a decrease in their d(33) values with a concomitant increase in their magnetic behavior. These results are in agreement with the findings from our far-infrared studies.