A Comparative Analysis on the Crystalline Behavior, Topographical, Photoluminescence, and Leakage Current Characteristics of BiFeO₃ Nanopowders and Thin Films

Abstract

Thin films and nanocrystalline powders of BiFeO3 (BFO) are prepared from pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and sol–gel process, respectively. Their grain sizes, microstrain, morphological features, leakage current characteristics, and photoluminescence (PL) emission behavior are investigated and compared with each other. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) technique has been utilized to compute the grain sizes and crystalline strain values for the thin films and nanopowders of BFO through Williamson–Hall (W–H) plots. XRD and Raman peaks of the deposited thin film and synthesized nanopowders of BFO confirm the formation of rhombohedral unit cell character and its vibrational structure. Topographical analysis of nanopowders and thin films of BFO from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements reveals the spherical morphology of grown particles. Suppression of emission peaks, as noticed from PL spectra for BFO nanopowders and thin film, indicates the possible electron defect level transitions due to oxygen vacancies. Leakage current density studies suggest the detectable flow of current in both study of specimen.