Effects of SrRuO3 buffer layer thickness on multiferroic (Bi0.90La0.10) (Fe0.95Mn0.05) O 3 thin films

Abstract

Multiferroic (Bi0.90La0.10) (Fe0.95Mn 0.05) O3 (BLFMO) thin films were deposited on SrRuO 3 (SRO) buffered Pt/ TiO2 / SiO2 /Si (100) substrates with variable buffer layer thicknesses by using off-axis radio frequency sputtering. The orientation of BLFMO thin films is dependent on the SRO buffer layer thickness, which leads to a change in ferroelectric behavior. Due to the low leakage currents arising from the orientation change in association with the variation in SRO buffer layer thickness and the La and Mn codoping, well saturated P-E hysteresis loops (2 Pr ∼210.0 μC/ cm2 and 2 Ec ∼525.5 kV/cm) are shown for the (111)-oriented BLFMO thin film at room temperature and 1 kHz. It also demonstrates little ferroelectric fatigue on 109 switching cycles. Moreover, the BLFMO thin film exhibits the enhanced magnetic behavior as compared to pure BFO thin films, due to the canting of antiferromagnetically ordered spins. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.