Epitaxial growth of multiferroic Pb(Zr0.57Ti0.43)O3-Pb(Fe2/3W1/3)O3 solid-solution thin films and their magnetoelectric effects

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the epitaxial growth of multiferroic PZT-PFW thin films with ferroelectric and magnetic properties, and investigates their magnetoelectric effects, revealing a nonlinear coefficient comparable to some multiferroics but significantly smaller than polycrystalline counterparts.

Contribution

First demonstration of epitaxial growth of PZT-PFW solid-solution thin films with detailed magnetoelectric characterization.

Findings

Films have tetragonal structure.

Exhibit ferroelectric and weak ferromagnetic responses.

Magnetoelectric coefficient is comparable to multiferroic manganites.

Abstract

We report on epitaxial growth of single-phase [Pb(Zr0.57Ti0.43)O3]0.8[Pb(Fe2/3W1/3)O3]0.2 (PZT-PFW) solid-solution thin films using pulsed laser deposition. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal that the films have a tetragonal structure. The films exhibit ferroelectric properties and weak ferromagnetic responses at room temperature. Magnetoelectric effects were investigated; the nonlinear magnetoelectric coefficient was measured and found to be comparable to those of multiferroic hexagonal manganites, but at least two orders of magnitude smaller than that for polycrystalline PZT-PFW films.