Premium
Origin of ferromagnetism in BaTiO 3 nanoparticles
Author(s) -
Bahoosh Safa Golrokh,
Trimper Steffen,
Wesselinowa Julia M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.201105419
Subject(s) - nanocrystalline material , ferromagnetism , multiferroics , condensed matter physics , materials science , valence (chemistry) , nanoparticle , magnetization , particle size , chemical physics , nanotechnology , ferroelectricity , chemistry , physics , dielectric , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , magnetic field
Based on a microscopic approach we demonstrate that the unexpected ferromagnetic properties of BaTiO 3 (BTO) or PTO observed recently at room temperature are due to oxygen vacancies at the surface of the nanocrystalline materials. Such vacancies lead to the appearance of Ti 3+ or Ti 2+ ions with nonzero net spin. The resulting different valence states composed of Ti 3+ or Ti 2+ offer a nonzero magnetization which decreases with increasing particle size. The system shows a multiferroic behavior below a critical size of the nanoparticles and the related polarization tends to a saturation value when the particle size is enhanced. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)