Search

• Temperature dependent dielectric studies on SrTiO 3 /SrRuO 3 /GaFeO 3 (STO/SRO/GFO) suggest the ferroelectric-relaxor behavior. • Magnetization vs Temperature measured both at field-cooled (FC) and (zero-field-cooled) ZFC shows large bifurcation with transition temperature at 240 K. • The clear and reversible out-of-phase contrast is seen in the piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) phase and amplitude images. • Polarization vs electric field (P-E) hysteresis loop study on STO/SRO/GFO/Pt reveals the remanent polarization of polarization of ∼30 µC/cm2 and coercive field (E C) of 0.09 MV/cm. We report a detailed investigation on magnetic and electrical properties of the multiferroic GaFeO 3 (GFO) thin films grown on SrRuO 3 (SRO) buffered SrTiO 3 (1 1 1) substrates. The magnetic transition temperature (T c) of GFO thin films is observed ∼240 K, which is higher by 20 K than in GFO ceramic. The clear and reversible out-of-plane phase-contrast seen in the Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) phase and amplitude images measured within positive and negative poling confirms the polarization reorientation and hence piezoelectric nature of the compound. The temperature and frequency dependence of permittivity studies demonstrates the relaxor behavior of these thin films. The observed near room temperature (RT) magnetic phase transition with RT piezoelectric nature of these thin films elucidates the possible potential candidates for a multiferroic world with spintronics device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]