Magnetic and electrical properties of single-phase multiferroic BiFeO3

We have reported the structural, thermal, microscopic, magnetization, polarization, and dielectric properties of BiFeO₃ ceramics synthesized by a rapid liquid-phase sintering technique. Optimum conditions for the synthesis of single-phase BiFeO₃ ceramics were obtained. Temperature-dependent magnetization and hysteresis loops indicate antiferromagnetic behavior in BiFeO₃ at room temperature. Although saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loops were observed in single-phase BiFeO₃ ceramic synthesized at 880 °C, the reduced polarization is found to be due to the high loss and low dielectric permittivity of the ceramic, which is caused by higher leakage current.