Abstract

We have evaluated the ferroelectric and electrical properties of pure BiFeO₃ (BFO) and Bi_0.9A_0.1Fe_0.975V_0.025O_3+α(A=Nd, Tb) thin films on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) substrates by using a chemical solution deposition method. The remnant polarization (2P_r) of the Bi_0.9Tb_0.1Fe_0.975V_0.025O_3+α (BTFVO) thin film was approximately 65 μC/㎠, with a maximum applied electric field of 950 kV/cm and a frequency of 10 kHz, where as that of the Bi_0.9Nd_0.1Fe_0.975V_0.025O_3+α (BNFVO) thin film was approximately 37 μC/㎠ with a maximum applied electric field of 910 kV/cm. The leakage current density of the co-doped BNFVO thin film was four orders of magnitude lower than that of the pure BFO thin film, at 2.75×10^-7 A/㎠ with an applied electric field of 100 kV/cm. The grain size and uniformity of the co-doped BNFVO and BTFVO thin films were improved, in comparison to the pure BFO thin film, through structural modificationsdue to the co-doping with Nd and Tb.

• Keywords: BiFeO₃, Chemical solution deposition, Microstructure, Electrical properties