We report the observation of three different crystalline layers in hydrothermally grown BiFeO3 (BFO) thick films on SrRuO3/SrTiO3 substrates. High-resolution X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microcopy results suggest that compressively strained, partially relaxed epitaxial layers, and a mixture of polycrystalline and amorphous BFO layers, were successively formed from the bottom to the top of the films. The resistance and capacitance of the mixed layer were significantly lower than those of the epitaxial layers. The atomic concentrations of Bi and Fe in the mixed layer were fluctuating for each point. Based on the observed three crystalline layers, we have discussed the growth mechanism and the leakage current of hydrothermally grown BFO thick films.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.