Influence of Ti-Zn doping on the structural, ferroelectric and optical properties of BiFeO3 ceramics synthesized via the solid-state reaction

BiFeO₃ is a perovskite-type structure material with diverse applications in modern devices. In this study, powders and bulk ceramics of the solid solution BiFe_1-2xTi_xZn_xO₃, also known as BFTZ, were synthesized via a solid-state reaction, and their physical properties were analyzed. Structural properties obtained by X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinements revealed that the incorporation of Ti and Zn ions in the solid solution increased the lattice parameter “a” (from 5.5825 Å to 5.6039 Å) and decreased the “c” parameter (from 13.8720 Å to 13.7713 Å). The coexistence of the R3c and P4mm crystalline phases was determined, specifically the phase transition from R3c to P4mm with the addition of 10 % Ti–Zn in the solid solution. Scanning electron micrographs revealed a decrease in the average grain size from 624 nm to 221 nm. Ferroelectric measurements revealed an increase in the remnant polarization from 0.058 μC/cm² to 0.863 μC/cm². Finally, the material's band gap remained within the visible light range in all samples, increasing from 2.26 eV to 2.35 eV. This demonstrates that the obtained material is a candidate for use in optoelectronic devices with ferroelectric properties.