Large electric polarization and exchange bias in multiferroic BiFeO3

Low-leakage BiFeO3 films have been grown with saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loops (see figure) and a very large remanent polarization. The antiferromagnetic nature of BiFeO3 films is confirmed by the appearance of an exchange bias in BiFeO3-based spin-valve multilayers. The results imply that there is potential for room-temperature applications of BiFeO3 that combine ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic functionality.