Physics Seminar

“Tuning functional properties of BiFeO₃films using strain and growth chemistry”

Dr. Daniel Sando

Univ. of New South Wales, Sydney

June 22 (Fri.), 04:00 PM

#1323, E6-2

Abstract:

Multiferroics – materials with coexisting ferroic orders such as ferroelectricity and (anti)-ferromagnetism – are presently under intense study by virtue of their promise in next-generation data storage devices. Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃– BFO) is one of the very few that orders above room temperature. In the bulk, BFO is rhombohedral (R), and in thin films [1] its properties are sensitive to strain [2,3]. The discovery of the epitaxially-stabilized “super tetragonal phase” of BFO (T-BFO) [4] incited a flurry of research activity focused on understanding the phase transition and its possible functionalities [5]. T-BFO is also multiferroic, with large ferroelectric polarization and antiferromagnetic order [4], and the strain relaxation-induced T/R phase mixtures and their exceptional piezoelectric responses [6] continue to intrigue and motivate researchers. A particularly important characteristic of this phase mixture is the interconversion between the R,T phases with an applied electric field [6]. Since the oxygen configuration of the R and T polymorphs is different [5], the electronic, magnetic, and optical properties can thus be dynamically modulated. An additional rather crucial (and thus far underexplored) aspect of mixed R/T BFO is the role of chemistryin the formation of the metastable T-phase. Since T-BFO is typically fabricated by pulsed laser deposition, growth parameters can be used as a strong handle to tailor film properties and functionalities.

Here I will describe our work on understanding the influence of strain and growth conditions on the optical, magnetic, and ferroelectric properties of BFO films. I will also show that by precisely controlling fabrication conditions, the formation of the mixed R/T phases in BFO films can be completely suppressed for thicknesses above 70 nm. Such an intriguing result is useful for applications where thicker pure T-BFO films are needed, such as for measuring the expected giant polarization, or for precisely controlling the proportions of the various phases. Finally, through analysis of a large set of epitaxial films, it will be shown that the optical band gap of BFO is rather insensitive to a host of growth and processing parameters [7]. Combined with the numerous other functionalities of this material, one can envisage multifunctional devices, for example, that harvest mechanical and solar energy, or to enhance magnetoelectric coupling at these multiferroic phase boundaries.

References

[1] Sando et al., J. Phys: Condens. Matt. 26, 473201 (2014). 

[2] Infante et al., PRL 105, 057601 (2010). 

[3] Sando et al., Nat. Mater. 12, 641 (2013). 

[4] Bea et al., PRL 102, 217603 (2009). 

[5] Sando et al., Appl. Phys. Rev. 3, 011106 (2016). 

[6] Zeches et al., Science 326, 977 (2009). 

[7] Sando et al., Adv. Opt Mater. 6, 1700836 (2018).

 Department of Physics, KAIST