Synthesis and properties of multiferroic 0.7BiFeO3−0.3BaTiO3 thin films by Mn doping

Abstract Multiferroic BiFeO 3 −BaTiO 3 thin films that simultaneously exhibit ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism at room temperature were prepared by chemical solution deposition. Perovskite single-phase 0.7BiFeO 3 −0.3BaTiO 3 thin films were successfully fabricated in the temperature range 600–700 °C on Pt/TiO x /SiO 2 /Si substrates. As the crystallization temperature was increased, grain growth proceeded, resulting in higher crystallinity at 700 °C. Although the 0.7BiFeO 3 −0.3BaTiO 3 thin films exhibited poor polarization ( P )−electric field ( E ) hysteresis loops owing to their low insulating resistance. The leakage current at high applied fields was effectively reduced by Mn doping at the Fe site of the 0.7BiFeO 3 −0.3BaTiO 3 thin films, leading to improved ferroelectric properties. The 5 mol% Mn-doped 0.7BiFeO 3 −0.3BaTiO 3 thin films simultaneously exhibited ferroelectric polarization and ferromagnetic magnetization hysteresis loops at room temperature.