Magnetic and magnetoelectric measurements on rare-earth-substituted five-layered Bi6Fe2Ti3O18 compound

Five-layered compounds of Bi-5 RFe2Ti3O18, (where R = La, Sm, Gd, Dy) were prepared by solid-state reaction route. Magnetic and magnetoelectric (ME) m easurements were performed on all the samples at room temperature. Magnetic measurements were also performed at low temperature in the case of DyBi5Fe 2Ti3O18 compound. From the magnetic measurements the compounds were found t o be of weak ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic nature depending upon the temp erature. The magnetoelectric coefficient (dE/dH) was found to be higher in the case of DyBi5Fe2Ti3O18 among the samples studied. The results are discu ssed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.