AbstractInvestigation of crystal structure, magnetic and local ferroelectric properties of the diamagnetically-doped Bi1−xAxFeO3 (A= Ca, Sr, Pb, Ba; x= 0.2, 0.3) ceramic samples has been carried out. It has been shown that the solid solutions have a rhombohedrally distorted perovskite structure described by the space group R3c. Piezoresponse force microscopy data have revealed the existence of the spontaneous ferroelectric polarization in the samples at room temperature. Magnetization measurements have shown that the magnetic state of these compounds is determined by the ionic radius of the substituting elements. A-site substitution with the biggest ionic radius ions has been found to suppress the spiral spin structure of BiFeO3 and to result in the appearance of weak ferromagnetism. The magnetic properties have been discussed in terms of doping- induced changes in the magnetic anisotropy.
Biological Ferroelectricity Uncovered in Aortic Walls by Piezoresponse Force Microscopy
