Ferroelectric, electrical and magnetic properties of Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu added polycrystalline BiFeO3 films

Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, and Cu were added to polycrystalline BiFeO(3) films, and their influence on the ferroelectric, electrical, and magnetic properties was investigated. All the additives except Ni reduced the leakage current density in the high electric field region. The addition of Cu and Co decreased the coercive field without reducing remanent polarization. The addition of Co caused spontaneous magnetization at room temperature, which exhibited a large coercive field of 16 kOe at 10 K. It was revealed that Co addition suppressed the leakage current density, decreased the electric coercive field, and induced spontaneous magnetization and large magnetic coercivity. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.