Magnetic and magnetoelectric properties of NixCu1–xFe2O4–PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 single and multilayered thick films

Nano-phase ferrite, NixCu1–xFe2O4 (where x = 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7 and 0.9) and ferroelectric, PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 are synthesized by autocombustion method. Trilayered NiCuFe2O4/PZT/NiCuFe2O4 and single layer of y(NixCu1–xFe2O4) + (1–y) (Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3) composite thick films are fabricated on fluorine tin oxide coated glass substrates using a screen printing technique. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns confirm the highly crystallized spinal structure in the ferrite phase and perovskite structure in the ferroelectric phase. The scanning electron microscope images show that the grain size in trilayered and single-layered films is in the range 100 and 200 nm, respectively; which is also confirmed by broadened peaks in the XRD pattern. The hysteresis loop studies using vibrating sample magnetometer reveal that both saturation magnetization and coercivity decrease slightly with an increase in composition parameter x of ferrite phase and is attributed to the negative magnetostriction coefficient of nickel present in the ferrite phase. The magnetoelectric (ME) voltage coefficient (αE31) vs. DC bias magnetic field shows a peak due to enhanced domain activity and piezoelectric effect. The trilayered thick films exhibit larger values of ME coefficient as compared to single-layered films due to the higher resistivity of trilayered films.