Structural and pyroelectric properties of sol–gel derived multiferroic BFO thin films

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We fabricated multiferroic BFO/PZT multilayer films by spin-coating method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The trap centers of carriers were formed at the interfaces between BFO and PZT films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ferroelectric properties were superior to those of single composition BFO film. -- Abstract: Multiferroic BFO/PZT multilayer films were fabricated by spin-coating method on the (1 1 1)Pt/Ti/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate alternately using PZT(30/70), PZT(70/30) and BFO alkoxide solutions. The structural and ferroelectric properties were investigated for uncooled infrared detector applications. The coating and heating procedure was repeated six times to form BFO/PZT multilayer films. All films showed the typical XRD patterns of the perovskite polycrystalline structure without presence of the second phase such as Bi{sub 2}Fe{sub 4}O{sub 3}. The thickness of BFO/PZT multilayer film was about 200-220 nm. The ferroelectric properties such as dielectric constant, remnant polarization and pyroelectric coefficient were superior to those of single composition BFO film, and those values for BFO/PZT(70/30) multilayer film were 288, 15.7 {mu}C/cm{sup 2} and 9.1 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -9} C/cm{sup 2} K at room temperature, respectively. Leakage current density of the BFO/PZT(30/70) multilayer film was 3.3 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -9} A/cm{sup 2} at 150 kV/cm. The figures of merit, F{sub V} for the voltage responsivity andmore » F{sub D} for the specific detectivity, of the BFO/PZT(70/30) multilayer film were 6.17 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -11} Ccm/J and 6.45 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -9} Ccm/J, respectively.« less