Structural, Magnetic and Optical Properties of BiFe_1-xNb_xO₃

Nb doped multiferroic BiFe_1-xNb_xO₃ (0 <x <0.05) polycrystalline powders have been syn-thesized by using a sol-gel method. The effect of Nb dopant on the structural, magnetic and optical properties is investigated. According to the X-ray di raction data and the result of Rietveld re nement, all the samples maintain the R3c phase, while the lattice parameters a, c, the cell volume V and the Fe-O-Fe bond angle change. The remnant magnetization enhances by appropriate Nb doping due to the decreasing of the grain size. Meanwhile, Nb dopant leads to the narrowing of the band gap of BiFe_1-xNb_xO₃ samples.