Self-Assembled Epitaxial Multiferroic Nanocomposite Films Prepared by Polymer-Assisted Deposition

ORAL

Abstract

Multiferroic materials, which show simultaneous electric and magnetic ordering, have attracted considerable interest recently due to their unusual physical properties and potential device applications. Here we demonstrate that a cost-effective chemical solution approach of polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) is a very promising technique to grow self-assembled epitaxial multiferroic nanocomposite thin films: such as BaTiO$_{3}$-NiFe$_{2}$O$_{4}$ films grown on (001)-oriented LaAlO$_{3}$ substrate. X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analyses show clear epitaxial relationship between the two phases and the substrate. The ferroelectric BaTiO$_{3}$ grains are embedded in the ferrimagnetic spinel NiFe$_{2}$O$_{4}$ matrix. The composite films exhibit both ferroelectric and ferrimagnetic properties. The structure and properties will be discussed and compared with the nanocomposite films prepared by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) method.

*This work was supported by LDRD Project at LANL.

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Authors

  • H.M. Luo

    • Materials Physics and Applications Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
    • Superconductivity Technology Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Hao Yang

    • Superconductivity Technology Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Materials Physics and Applications Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545

  • Eve Bauer

    • Materials Physics and Applications Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545

  • T. Mark McCleskey

    • Materials Physics and Applications Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545

  • Anthony K. Burrell

    • Materials Physics and Applications Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545

  • Q.X. Jia

    • Superconductivity Technology Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Materials Physics and Applications Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545
    • Superconductivity Technology Center, LANL, Los Alamos, NM