Multiferroic properties of Dy modified BiFeO3 thin films in comparison with Tb modified BiFeO3 thin films

Abstract

Coexistence of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic order parameters was observed at room temperature in Bi0.6Dy0.3La0.1FeO3 thin films grown on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrates using a pulsed laser deposition technique similar to that for Bi0.6Tb0.3La0.3FeO3. The coexistence of ferroelectric and magnetic domains in specific spatial area of the thin film was also confirmed by scanning probe imaging. As expected, the magnetization values obtained for Bi0.6Dy0.3La0.1FeO3 bulk and thin films were higher than those of Bi0.6Tb0.3La0.1FeO3 bulk and polycrystalline thin films because the magnetic moment of Dy is higher than that of Tb. However, preferentially oriented thin films of Bi0.6Tb0.3La0.1FeO3 exhibit much higher magnetization values. It is speculated that structural alignment caused by stress developed during deposition of these films could be responsible for enhancement in magnetization.