On the structure of α-BiFeO3

Polycrystalline and monocrystalline α-BiFeO3 crystals have been synthesized by solid state reaction and flux growth method, respectively. X-ray, neutron, and electron diffraction techniques are used to study the crystallographic and magnetic structure of α-BiFeO3. The present data show that α-BiFeO3 crystallizes in space group P1 with a = 0.563 17(1) nm, b = 0.563 84(1) nm, c = 0.563 70(1) nm, α = 59.33(1)°, β = 59.35(1)°, γ = 59.38(1)°, and the magnetic structure of α-BiFeO3 can be described by space group P1 with magnetic modulation vector in reciprocal space q = 0.0045a* - 0.0045b*, which is the magnetic structure model proposed by I. Sosnowska (1) applied to the new P1 crystal symmetry of α-BiFeO3.