Recent progress in nanostructured multiferroic Bi{sub 2}FeCrO{sub 6} thin films

Journal Article · Tue May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2012 · Journal of Solid State Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JSSC.2012.01.022· OSTI ID:22012098

Nechache, Riad ^[1]; Rosei, Federico ^[2]

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1. NAST Center and Department of Chemical Science and Technology, University of Rome Tor Vergata Via della Ricerca Sceintifica 1, 00133 Rome Italy (Italy)
2. Centre Energie, Materiaux et Telecommunications, INRS, 1650, boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec J3x 1S2 (Canada)

We report the latest progress on the growth and characterization of Bi{sub 2}FeCrO{sub 6} (BFCO), a recently discovered multiferroic system. BFCO thin films and nanostructures exhibit exceptional multiferroic properties at room temperature. The growth of pure BFCO thin films on STO substrates is possible only in a narrow window of deposition parameters (i.e., Oxygen pressure pO{sub 2}=1.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -2} mbar and around a substrate temperature T{sub S}=680 Degree-Sign C). The epitaxial growth stabilizes the metastable single phase of this material and promotes the Fe/Cr cation ordering in both thin films and nanostructures. This cationic ordering which is responsible for good magnetic properties of BFCO is also at the origin of pronounced photovoltaic (PV) properties observed in the epitaxial films grown on STO substrates. The results indicate that the ferroelectric polarization plays a dominant role in the observed PV effect. - Graphical abstract: (Top) Crystal structure of BFCO thin films deposited on (1 1 1)-oriented SrTiO3:Nb substrates and direct evidence of the presence of cationic ordering Fe/Cr in the films. (Bottom) Control of the crystal orientation and the shape of the epitaxial nanostructures by the orientation of the niobium-doped STO substrates. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Growth optimization of Bi{sub 2}FeCrO{sub 6} (BFCO) thin films and nanostructures by pulsed laser deposition. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ordered BFCO single phase have been stabilized by epitaxial strain. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Arbitrary patterns of heteroepitaxial multiferroic BFCO nanostructures have been fabricated by PLD combined with nanostenciling. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Experimental characterizations revealed the excellent multiferroic character of BFCO thin films and nanostructures. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Unprecedentedly high power conversion efficiency for ferroelectrics was observed in 125 nm-thick highly ordered BFCO films.Graphical abstract legend.

• OSTI ID: 22012098
• Journal Information: Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Solid State Chemistry Vol. . 189; ISSN 0022-4596; ISSN JSSCBI
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
CONTROL
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
DOPED MATERIALS
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
EPITAXY
FERROELECTRIC MATERIALS
INTERACTIONS
LASER RADIATION
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
NANOSTRUCTURES
NIOBIUM
OXYGEN
PARTIAL PRESSURE
PEROVSKITE
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
PULSED IRRADIATION
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS