Tunable multiferroic properties in nanocomposite PbTiO3–CoFe2O4 epitaxial thin films

Abstract

We report on the synthesis of PbTiO3–CoFe2O4 multiferroic nanocomposites and continuous tuning of their ferroelectric and magnetic properties as a function of the average composition on thin-film composition spreads. The highest dielectric constant and nonlinear dielectric signal was observed at (PbTiO3)85–(CoFe2O4)15, where robust magnetism was also observed. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a pancake-shaped epitaxial nanostructure of PbTiO3 on the order of 30 nm embedded in the matrix of CoFe2O4 at this composition. Composition dependent ferroics properties observed here indicate that there is considerable interdiffusion of cations into each other.

Applications of high throughput (combinatorial) methodologies to electronic, magnetic, optical, and energy-related materials

“…97 Among different types of multiferroic materials, nanocomposite materials have been well studied, since they have the potential to realize RT device operation due to cross coupled ferroelectric/ ferromagnetic properties. To study the formation of nanocomposite multiferroic thin films, PLD based CCS libraries were designed to directly probe continuous "mixing" of a ferroelectric material and a ferromagnetic material on an MgO (100) substrate, 98 Fig . 25.…”

Magnetoelectric and multiferroic properties of variously oriented epitaxial BiFeO3–CoFe2O4 nanostructured thin films

“…[5][6][7][8][9][10] Through a strictive interaction between the piezoelectricity of the ferroelectric ͑FE͒ phase and the magnetostriction of the ferromagnetic ͑FM͒ phase, said composites are capable of producing relatively large ME coefficients. The most widely studied phase connectivities for twophase ME composite films are ͑i͒ a ͑2-2͒ layer-by-layer structure [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] and ͑ii͒ a ͑0-3͒ structure of second phase particles embedded in a primary matrix phase. 19,12,[20][21][22][23] In addition, ͑1-3͒ self-assembled ME composite thin films consisting of FE ͓or ͑FM͔͒ nanopillars embedded in a FM ͑or FE͒ matrix was first reported in 2004.…”

“…The most widely studied phase connectivities for twophase ME composite films are ͑i͒ a ͑2-2͒ layer-by-layer structure [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] and ͑ii͒ a ͑0-3͒ structure of second phase particles embedded in a primary matrix phase. 19,12,[20][21][22][23] In addition, ͑1-3͒ self-assembled ME composite thin films consisting of FE ͓or ͑FM͔͒ nanopillars embedded in a FM ͑or FE͒ matrix was first reported in 2004. 24 Self-assembled epitaxial BiFeO 3 -CoFe 2 O 4 ͑BFO-CFO͒ nanocomposite thin films deposited on differently oriented substrates are known to have different types of nanostructures.…”

Direct measurement of magnetoelectric exchange in self-assembled epitaxial BiFeO3–CoFe2O4 nanocomposite thin films

“…8 Zheng et al 9 deposited epitaxial two phase films that self-assembled into nanopillars of CoFe 2 O 4 ͑CFO͒ in a BaTiO 3 ͑BTO͒ matrix. For two-phase multiferroic thin films, not only have such ͑1-3͒ and ͑3-1͒ structures ͑i.e., nanopillars in a second phase matrix͒ been reported, [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17] but many other types of structures with different phase interconnectives have also, such as ͑0-3͒ nanoparticles dispersed in a matrix [18][19][20][21][22] and ͑2-2͒ mutilayer two-phase composite thin films. 23,24 Theoretically, the ͑1-3͒ structure should be the best type for ME coupling in epitaxial films.…”