Photoluminescence and time-resolved spectroscopy in multiferroic BiFeO3: Effects of electric fields and sample aging

We report photoluminescence and time-resolved spectroscopy in bismuth ferrite excited with a 325 nm source. The direct-bandgap recombinations near 2.55 eV and indirect-bandgap transitions near 2.67 eV are presented as functions of applied in-plane electric field with recombination time in the microsecond regime. The applied field moves some conduction electrons away from the Brillouin zone center, increasing significantly the intensity of indirect-gap recombination. An aging phenomenon is manifest in specimens stored for more than twelve months under ambient conditions. Effect of external magnetic field on the surface phase transition is negligible up to H = 0.5 T. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.