Interfacial effects on the polarization of $BiFeO_{3}$ films

TL;DR

This paper investigates how interfacial layers affect the polarization and hysteresis of BiFeO3 films, revealing that interfaces can increase coercive fields and suppress polarization, with effects depending on film thickness and applied fields.

Contribution

It introduces a simulation model considering interfacial layers, highlighting their impact on polarization behavior and hysteresis in ultrathin BiFeO3 films.

Findings

Interfacial layers increase coercive fields.

Interfaces suppress polarization in ultrathin films.

Maximum polarization can be independent of film thickness under certain conditions.

Abstract

By considering an interfacial layer between the electrode and the $BiFeO_{3}$($BFO$) layer, the polarization and the hysteresis behavior of $BFO$ film are simulated. It is found that the non-ferroelectric interface will increase the coercive field, and remarkably suppress the polarization of the ultrathin film under low applied fields. Due to the competition between the interfacial effect and the internal compressive stress, the maximum polarization on the P-E loop of a $BFO$ film can be independent on the film thickness under an adequate applied field.