Weak ferromagnetism in La-doped BiFeO3 multiferroic thin films

Bi1-xLaxFeO3 thin films (x = 0.0, 0.3, 0.5) were grown on glass substrates by thermal physical vapor deposition. The monoclinically distorted crystal structure of the films was revealed by x-ray diffraction at room temperature. Field and temperature (up to 1000 K) dependences of magnetization were studied. Saturation of the room temperature magnetic hysteresis loop has been observed at magnetic field above 0.15 T, demonstrating the weak ferromagnetic nature of the thin films. Our magnetic force microscopy results show clearly the presence of magnetic domains in BFO thin films. These structural and magnetic properties suggest the absence of magnetic spiral spin structure in monoclinically distorted BFO-based thin films. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4730896]