Nd-modified Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15) ceramics were fabricated by a sol-gel method. The crystal structures of Nd-modified Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15) ceramics were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effects of the Nd content on the ferroelectric, dielectric, and magnetic properties of these Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 ceramics were thoroughly investigated. The XRD patterns indicated that with an increase of the Nd doped content in Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 ceramics, the unwanted impurity phases such as Bi2Fe4O9 and Bi36Fe24O57 are markedly decreased. Clear polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis loops were observed for all the Nd-modified Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 ceramics and the shape of the P-E loop of the Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 ceramics was significantly improved due to the Nd substitution. In addition, slim magnetic hysteresis (M-H) loops in the Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 ceramics were also observed, and the saturated magnetization (Ms) of the Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 ceramics also increased with an increase of the Nd content.

Keywords: Nd-modified Bi1 − xNdxFeO3 ceramics, Ferroelectric properties, Magnetic properties, Sol-gel