Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 May 2012
The present study addressed the effect of the incorporation of Praseodymium species in the BiFeO3(BFO) structure on the corresponding structural and functional properties of powders and films. The level of the doping species varied from 0 at% to 4 at%. BFO powders and thin films were synthesized by a sol-gel method, where glycol was aggregated to the main solvent to increase the viscosity of the precursor solutions and promote their adhesion onto platinum substrates. The development of the host BFO structure was confirmed by XRD analyses of samples annealed at 700°C for one hour (powders) or 500°C for 2 hours (thin films), in air. The average crystallite size varied from 37 nm to 41 nm and 28nm to 40nm for powders and thin films, respectively, due to the increase of the doping level. The incorporation of specific dopant species played an important role in the ferromagnetic and ferroelectric behavior in the material.