Scanning probe imaging of coexistent ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity at room temperature

Room temperature coexistence of ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity in a thin film of nominal composition PbTi0.5Fe0.5O3-delta is probed by standard ferroelectric and ferromagnetic hysteresis loop measurements and by scanning probe microscopy. Both magnetic domains and ferroelectric domains are observed in the same spatial region of the material, implying phase coexistence in this system. Sample morphology strongly affects the roughness of the domain walls for both order parameters. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.