Multiferroic properties of polycrystalline Zn-substituted BiFeO3 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

Abstract: BiFe1 −x Zn x O3 (BFZO) thin films (x = 0, 0.05, and 0.1) have been prepared on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si substrate by pulsed laser deposition and their multiferoic properties have been investigated. BFZO thin films shows polycrystalline perovskite single phase. The grains become small with increasing the substitution of Zn, and leakage current of BFZO thin film for x = 0.05 was lower than that of BiFeO3 thin film. The dielectric constant of BFZO thin films for x = 0, 0.05, and 0.1 are 107, 146, and 170 at room temperature, respectively. P-E hysteresis loops were obtained at room temperature and 80 K, and Pr slightly increases at low frequency from 500 Hz to 20 kHz. M-H hysteresis loops show weak ferromagnetic properties at 300 K and 80 K by substitution of Zn. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]