Electric in-plane polarization in multiferroic CoFe2O4/BaTiO3 nanocomposite tuned by magnetic fields

Interface-related phenomena in epitaxial complex oxide ferroics across different thin film platforms: opportunities and challenges

Interfaces in complex oxides give rise to fascinating new physical phenomena arising from the interconnected spin, lattice, charge and orbital degrees of freedom. Most commonly, interfaces are engineered in epitaxial superlattice films. Of growing interest also are epitaxial vertically aligned nanocomposite films where interfaces form by self-assembly. These two thin film forms offer different capabilities for materials tuning and have been explored largely separately from one another. Ferroics (ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, multiferroic) are among the most fascinating phenomena to be manipulated using interface effects. Hence, in this review we compare and contrast the ferroic properties that arise in these two different film forms, highlighting exemplary materials combinations which demonstrate novel, enhanced and/or emergent ferroic functionalities. We discuss the origins of the observed functionalities and propose where knowledge can be translated from one materials form to another, to potentially produce new functionalities. Finally, for the two different film forms we present a perspective on underexplored/emerging research directions.

Reducing leakage current and enhancing polarization in multiferroic 3D super-nanocomposites by microstructure engineering

Multiferroic materials have generated great interest due to their potential as functional device materials. Nanocomposites have been increasingly used to design and generate new functionalities by pairing dissimilar ferroic materials, though the combination often introduces new complexity and challenges unforeseeable in single-phase counterparts. The recently developed approaches to fabricate 3D super-nanocomposites (3D-sNC) open new avenues to control and enhance functional properties. In this work, we develop a new 3D-sNC with CoFe₂O₄(CFO) short nanopillar arrays embedded in BaTiO₃(BTO) film matrix via microstructure engineering by alternatively depositing BTO:CFO vertically-aligned nanocomposite layers and single-phase BTO layers. This microstructure engineering method allows encapsulating the relative conducting CFO phase by the insulating BTO phase, which suppress the leakage current and enhance the polarization. Our results demonstrate that microstructure engineering in 3D-sNC offers a new bottom-up method of fabricating advanced nanostructures with a wide range of possible configurations for applications where the functional properties need to be systematically modified.

Magnetoelectrically ignited nanozyme-eel for combating bacterial biofilms

A magnetoelectrically ignited nanozyme-eel was developed, which could generate abundant surface charges upon the ignition of an alternating magnetic field, leading to a controllable electron transport burst between the nanozyme-eel and bacteria for the eradication of bacterial biofilms.

Design of modern magnetic materials with giant coercivity

The review is devoted to compounds and materials demonstrating extremely high magnetic hardness. The recent advances in the synthesis of modern materials for permanent magnets are considered, and a range of exotic compounds interesting for fundamental research is described. The key details of chemical composition, crystal structure and magnetic microstructure responsible for the appearance of high magnetic anisotropy and giant coercivity are analyzed. The challenges of developing the title materials are noted and strategies for their solution are discussed.

The bibliography includes 389 references.

Route to tunable room temperature electric polarization in SrTiO3-CoFe2O4 heterostructures

Utilizing the magnetostrictive properties of CoFe₂O₄, we demonstrate reversible room temperature control of the Ti electronic structure in SrTiO₃-CoFe₂O₄ heterostructures, by inducing local and reversible strain in the SrTiO₃. By means of X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we have ascertained the changes that take place in the energy levels of the Ti 3d orbitals under the influence of an external magnetic field. The observed Ti electronic state when the sample is subjected to moderately large external magnetic fields and the disappearance of the induced phase upon their removal indicates lattice distortions that are suggestive of the development of a net electric polarization.

Homogenization method for microscopic characterization of the composite magnetoelectric multiferroics

Tuning of magnetization or electrical polarization using external fields other than their corresponding conjugate fields (i.e., magnetic field for the former or electric field for the latter response) attracts renewed interest due to its potential for applications. The magnetoelectric effect in multiferroic 1-3 composite composed of alternating magnetic and ferroelectric layers operating in linear regime consequent to external biasing fields is simulated and analysed theoretically. Two-scale homogenization procedure to arrive at the equilibrium overall physical properties of magnetoelectric multiferroic composite is formulated using variational analysis. This procedure is extended to quantify the underlying local (microscopic) electric, magnetic and elastic fields and thereby compute local distribution of stresses and strains, electrical and magnetic potentials, the electric and magnetic fields as well as the equivalent von Mises stresses. The computational model is implemented by modifying the software POSTMAT (material postprocessing). Computed local stress/strain profiles and the von Mises stresses consequent to biasing electrical and magnetic fields provide insightful information related to the magnetostriction and the ensuing electrical and magnetic polarization. Average polarization and magnetization against magnetic and electric fields respectively are computed and found to be in reasonable limits of the experimental results on similar composite systems. The homogenization model covers multiferroics and its composites regardless of crystallographic symmetry (with the caveat of assuming an ideal and semi-coherent interface connecting the constituent phases) and offer computational efficiency besides unveiling the nature of the underlying microscopic field characteristics.

Competing Interface and Bulk Effect-Driven Magnetoelectric Coupling in Vertically Aligned Nanocomposites

Room-temperature magnetoelectric (ME) coupling is developed in artificial multilayers and nanocomposites composed of magnetostrictive and electrostrictive materials. While the coupling mechanisms and strengths in multilayers are widely studied, they are largely unexplored in vertically aligned nanocomposites (VANs), even though theory has predicted that VANs exhibit much larger ME coupling coefficients than multilayer structures. Here, strong transverse and longitudinal ME coupling in epitaxial BaTiO3:CoFe2O4 VANs measured by both optical second harmonic generation and piezoresponse force microscopy under magnetic fields is reported. Phase field simulations have shown that the ME coupling strength strongly depends on the vertical interfacial area which is ultimately controlled by pillar size. The ME coupling in VANs is determined by the competition between the vertical interface coupling effect and the bulk volume conservation effect. The revealed mechanisms shed light on the physical insights of vertical interface coupling in VANs in general, which can be applied to a variety of nanocomposites with different functionalities beyond the studied ME coupling effect.

Voltage-Control of Magnetism in All-Solid-State and Solid/Liquid Magnetoelectric Composites

The control of magnetism by means of low-power electric fields, rather than dissipative flowing currents, has the potential to revolutionize conventional methods of data storage and processing, sensing, and actuation. A promising strategy relies on the utilization of magnetoelectric composites to finely tune the interplay between electric and magnetic degrees of freedom at the interface of two functional materials. Albeit early works predominantly focused on the magnetoelectric coupling at solid/solid interfaces; however, recently there has been an increased interest related to the opportunities offered by liquid-gating techniques. Here, a comparative overview on voltage control of magnetism in all-solid-state and solid/liquid composites is presented within the context of the principal coupling mediators, i.e., strain, charge carrier doping, and ionic intercalation. Further, an exhaustive and critical discussion is carried out, concerning the suitability of using the common definition of coupling coefficient α C = Δ M Δ E   to compare the strength of the interaction between electricity and magnetism among different magnetoelectric systems.

First Observation of Ferroelectricity in ∼1 nm Ultrathin Semiconducting BaTiO3 Films

The requirements of multifunctionality in thin-film systems have led to the discovery of unique physical properties and degrees of freedom, which exist only in film forms. With progress in growth techniques, one can decrease the film thickness to the scale of a few nanometers (∼nm), where its unique physical properties are still pronounced. Among advanced ultrathin film systems, ferroelectrics have generated tremendous interest. As a prototype ferroelectric, the electrical properties of BaTiO₃ (BTO) films have been extensively studied, and it has been theoretically predicted that ferroelectricity sustains down to ∼nm thick films. However, efforts toward determining the minimum thickness for ferroelectric films have been hindered by practical issues surrounding large leakage currents. In this study, we used ∼nm thick BTO films, exhibiting semiconducting characteristics, grown on a LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ (LAO/STO) heterostructure. In particular, we utilized two-dimensional electron gas at the LAO/STO heterointerface as the bottom electrode in these capacitor junctions. We demonstrate that the BTO film exhibits ferroelectricity at room temperature, even when it is only ∼2 unit-cells thick, and the total thickness of the capacitor junction can be reduced to less than ∼4 nm. Observation of ferroelectricity in ultrathin semiconducting films and the resulting shrunken capacitor thickness will expand the applicability of ferroelectrics in the next generation of functional devices.

Metal Oxide Nanocomposites: A Perspective from Strain, Defect, and Interface

Vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films with ordered two phases, grown epitaxially on substrates, have attracted tremendous interest in the past decade. These unique nanostructured composite thin films with large vertical interfacial area, controllable vertical lattice strain, and defects provide an intriguing playground, allowing for the manipulation of a variety of functional properties of the materials via the interplay among strain, defect, and interface. This field has evolved from basic growth and characterization to functionality tuning as well as potential applications in energy conversion and information technology. Here, the remarkable progress achieved in vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films from a perspective of tuning functionalities through control of strain, defect, and interface is summarized.

Cross-Correlation between Strain, Ferroelectricity, and Ferromagnetism in Epitaxial Multiferroic CoFe2O4/BaTiO3 Heterostructures

Multiferroic biphase systems with robust ferromagnetic and ferroelectric response at room temperature would be ideally suitable for voltage-controlled nonvolatile memories. Understanding the role of strain and charges at interfaces is central for an accurate control of the ferroelectricity as well as of the ferromagnetism. In this paper, we probe the relationship between the strain and the ferromagnetic/ferroelectric properties in the layered CoFe₂O₄/BaTiO₃ (CFO/BTO) model system. For this purpose, ultrathin epitaxial bilayers, ranging from highly strained to fully relaxed, were grown by molecular beam epitaxy on Nb:SrTiO₃(001). The lattice characteristics, determined by X-ray diffraction, evidence a non-intuitive cross-correlation: the strain in the bottom BTO layer depends on the thickness of the top CFO layer and vice versa. Plastic deformation participates in the relaxation process through dislocations at both interfaces, revealed by electron microscopy. Importantly, the switching of the BTO ferroelectric polarization, probed by piezoresponse force microscopy, is found dependent on the CFO thickness: the larger is the latter, the easiest is the BTO switching. In the thinnest thickness regime, the tetragonality of BTO and CFO has a strong impact on the 3d electronic levels of the different cations, which were probed by X-ray linear dichroism. The quantitative determination of the nature and repartition of the magnetic ions in CFO, as well as of their magnetic moments, has been carried out by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, with the support of multiplet calculations. While bulklike ferrimagnetism is found for 5-15 nm thick CFO layers with a magnetization resulting as expected from the Co²⁺ ions alone, important changes occur at the interface with BTO over a thickness of 2-3 nm because of the formation of Fe²⁺ and Co³⁺ ions. This oxidoreduction process at the interface has strong implications concerning the mechanisms of polarity compensation and coupling in multiferroic heterostructures.

Stress induced magnetic-domain evolution in magnetoelectric composites

Local observation of the stress mediated magnetoelectric (ME) effect in composites has gained a great deal of interest over the last decades. However, there is an apparent lack of rigorous methods for a quantitative characterization of the ME effect at the local scale, especially in polycrystalline microstructures. In the present work, we address this issue by locally probing the surface magnetic state of barium titante-hexagonal barium ferrite (BaTiO₃-BaFe₁₂O₁₉) ceramic composites using magnetic force microscopy (MFM). The effect of the piezoelectrically induced local stress on the magnetostrictive component (BaFe₁₂O₁₉, BaM) was observed in the form of the evolution of the magnetic domains. The local piezoelectric stress was induced by applying a voltage to the neighboring BaTiO₃ grains, using a conductive atomic force microscopy tip. The resulting stochastic evolution of magnetic domains was studied in the context of the induced magnetoelastic anisotropy. In order to overcome the ambiguity in the domain changes observed by MFM, certain generalizations about the observed MFM contrast are put forward, followed by application of an algorithm for extracting the average micromagnetic changes. An average change in domain wall thickness of 50 nm was extracted, giving a lower limit on the corresponding induced magnetoelastic anisotropy energy. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this induced magnetomechanical energy is approximately equal to the K₁ magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant of BaM, and compare it with a modeled value of applied elastic energy density. The comparison allowed us to judge the quality of the interfaces in the composite system, by roughly gauging the energy conversion ratio.

Magnetic field control of charge excitations in CoFe2O4

We combine magnetic circular dichroism and photoconductivity with prior optical absorption and first principles calculations to unravel spin-charge interactions in the high Curie temperature magnet CoFe2O4. In addition to revising the bandgap hierarchy, we reveal a broad set of charge transfer excitations in the spin down channel which are sensitive to the metamagnetic transition involving the spin state on Co centers. We also show photoconductivity that depends on an applied magnetic field. These findings open the door for the creation and control of spin-polarized electronic excitations from the minority channel charge transfer in spinel ferrites and other earth-abundant materials.

Design of a Vertical Composite Thin Film System with Ultralow Leakage To Yield Large Converse Magnetoelectric Effect

Electric field control of magnetism is a critical future technology for low-power, ultrahigh density memory. However, despite intensive research efforts, no practical material systems have emerged. Interface-coupled, composite systems containing ferroelectric and ferri-/ferromagnetic elements have been widely explored, but they have a range of problems, for example, substrate clamping, large leakage, and inability to miniaturize. In this work, through careful material selection, design, and nanoengineering, a high-performance room-temperature magnetoelectric system is demonstrated. The clamping problem is overcome by using a vertically aligned nanocomposite structure in which the strain coupling is independent of the substrate. To overcome the leakage problem, three key novel advances are introduced: a low leakage ferroelectric, Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃; ferroelectric-ferrimagnetic vertical interfaces which are not conducting; and current blockage via a rectifying interface between the film and the Nb-doped SrTiO₃ substrate. The new multiferroic nanocomposite (Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃-CoFe₂O₄) thin-film system enables, for the first time, large-scale in situ electric field control of magnetic anisotropy at room temperature in a system applicable for magnetoelectric random access memory, with a magnetoelectric coefficient of 1.25 × 10^-9 s m^-1.

Giant magneto-electric coupling in 100 nm thick Co capped by ZnO nanorods

Here we report a giant, completely reversible magneto-electric coupling of 100 nm polycrystalline Co layer in contact with ZnO nanorods. When the sample is under an applied bias of ±2 V, the Co magnetic coercivity is reduced by a factor 5 from the un-poled case, with additionally a reduction of total magnetic moment in Co. Taking into account the chemical properties of ZnO nanorods measured by X-rays absorption near edge spectroscopy under bias, we conclude that these macroscopic effects on the magnetic response of the Co layer are due to the microstructure and the strong strain-driven magneto-electric coupling induced by the ZnO nanorods, whose nanostructuration maximizes the piezoelectric response under bias.

Rietveld structure refinement to optimize the correlation between cation disordering and magnetic features of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles

The effects of synthesis parameters on the structural and magnetic features of CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles have been investigated and their mutual correlations optimized by using response surface methodology.

Valence Change Bipolar Resistive Switching Accompanied With Magnetization Switching in CoFe2O4 Thin Film

Resistive Switching in oxides has offered new opportunities for developing resistive random access memory (ReRAM) devices. Here we demonstrated bipolar Resistive Switching along with magnetization switching of cobalt ferrite (CFO) thin film using Al/CFO/FTO sandwich structure, which makes it a potential candidate for developing future multifunctional memory devices. The device shows good retention characteristic time (>10⁴ seconds) and endurance performance, a good resistance ratio of high resistance state (HRS) and low resistance state (LRS) ~10³. Nearly constant resistance values in LRS and HRS confirm the stability and non-volatile nature of the device. The device shows different conduction mechanisms in the HRS and LRS i.e. Schottky, Poole Frenkel and Ohmic. Magnetization of the device is also modulated by applied electric field which has been attributed to the oxygen vacancies formed/annihilated during the voltage sweep and indicates the presence of valence change mechanism (VCM) in our device. It is suggested that push/pull of oxygen ions from oxygen diffusion layer during voltage sweep is responsible for forming/rupture of oxygen vacancies conducting channels, leading to switching between LRS and HRS and for switching in magnetization in CFO thin film. Presence of VCM in our device was confirmed by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy at Al/CFO interface.

Ferroelectric Phase Transition Induced a Large FMR Tuning in Self-Assembled BaTiO3:Y3Fe5O12 Multiferroic Composites

Yttrium iron garnet (YIG) is of great importance in RF/microwave devices for its low loss, low intrinsic damping, and high permeability. Nevertheless, tuning of YIG-based multiferroics is still a challenge due to its near-zero magnetostriction and the difficulty of building epitaxial interface between ferromagnetic garnet and ferroelectric perovskite phases. In this work, the vertically aligned heterostructure of YIG:BTO/STO(001) with local epitaxial interface between BTO and YIG is well-constructed, where the single crystal BTO pillars are embedded in YIG matrix. A large magnetoelectric coupling effect that drives YIG's FMR shift up to 512 and 333 Oe (1-2 order greater than those of all state-of-the-art progresses) is obtained through BTO ferroelectric phase changes induced by temperature variation at 295 and 193 K, correspondingly. This record high magnetoelectric tunability of YIG paves a way toward thermal/electrical tunable YIG devices.

Flexible Multiferroic Bulk Heterojunction with Giant Magnetoelectric Coupling via van der Waals Epitaxy

Magnetoelectric nanocomposites have been a topic of intense research due to their profound potential in the applications of electronic devices based on spintronic technology. Nevertheless, in spite of significant progress made in the growth of high-quality nanocomposite thin films, the substrate clamping effect still remains a major hurdle in realizing the ultimate magnetoelectric coupling. To overcome this obstacle, an alternative strategy of fabricating a self-assembled ferroelectric-ferrimagnetic bulk heterojunction on a flexible muscovite via van der Waals epitaxy is adopted. In this study, we investigated the magnetoelectric coupling in a self-assembled BiFeO₃ (BFO)-CoFe₂O₄ (CFO) bulk heterojunction epitaxially grown on a flexible muscovite substrate. The obtained heterojunction is composed of vertically aligned multiferroic BFO nanopillars embedded in a ferrimagnetic CFO matrix. Moreover, due to the weak interaction between the flexible substrate and bulk heterojunction, the interface is incoherent and, hence, the substrate clamping effect is greatly reduced. The phase-field simulation model also complements our results. The magnetic and electrical characterizations highlight the improvement in magnetoelectric coupling of the BFO-CFO bulk heterojunction. A magnetoelectric coupling coefficient of 74 mV/cm·Oe of this bulk heterojunction is larger than the magnetoelectric coefficient reported earlier on flexible substrates. Therefore, this study delivers a viable route of fabricating a remarkable magnetoelectric heterojunction and yet flexible electronic devices that are robust against extreme conditions with optimized performance.

Direct observation of cation distributions of ideal inverse spinel CoFe2O4 nanofibres and correlated magnetic properties

Low-dimensional spinel ferrites have recently attracted increasing attention because their tunable magnetic properties make them attractive candidates as spin-filtering tunnel barriers in spintronic devices and as magnetic components in artificial multiferroic heterostructures. Although we know that the distribution of cations (Fe³⁺ and Co²⁺) in a spinel structure governs its magnetic properties, their distribution in the so-called ideal inverse spinel structure of a ferrite, CoFe₂O₄, has not yet been imaged with sub-ångstrom resolution. In this work, we fill this gap in evidence by reporting a direct observation of the distribution of cations in an ideal inverse spinel structure of CoFe₂O₄ nanofibres using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The ordering of Co²⁺ and Fe³⁺ at the octahedral sites imaged along either [001], [011] or [-112] orientation was identified as 1 : 1, in accordance with the ideal inverse spinel structure. The saturation magnetisation calculated based on the crystal structure as determined from the TEM image is in good agreement with that measured experimentally on the spinel CoFe₂O₄ nanofibres, further confirming results from TEM.

Multiferroic Nanopatterned Hybrid Material with Room-Temperature Magnetic Switching of the Electric Polarization

A nanopatterned hybrid layer is designed, wherein the electric polarization can be flipped at room temperature by a magnetic field aided by an electrical field. This is achieved by embedding ferromagnetic nanopillars in a continuous organic ferroelectric layer, and amplifying the magnetostriction-generated stress gradients by scaling down the supracrystalline cell of the material.

Nanoparticle-Based Magnetoelectric BaTiO3-CoFe2O4 Thin Film Heterostructures for Voltage Control of Magnetism

Multiferroic composite materials combining ferroelectric and ferromagnetic order at room temperature have great potential for emerging applications such as four-state memories, magnetoelectric sensors, and microwave devices. In this paper, we report an effective and facile liquid phase deposition route to create multiferroic composite thin films involving the spin-coating of nanoparticle dispersions of BaTiO₃, a well-known ferroelectric, and CoFe₂O₄, a highly magnetostrictive material. This approach offers great flexibility in terms of accessible film configurations (co-dispersed as well as layered films), thicknesses (from 100 nm to several μm) and composition (5-50 wt % CoFe₂O₄ with respect to BaTiO₃) to address various potential applications. A detailed structural characterization proves that BaTiO₃ and CoFe₂O₄ remain phase-separated with clear interfaces on the nanoscale after heat treatment, while electrical and magnetic studies indicate the simultaneous presence of both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic order. Furthermore, coupling between these orders within the films is demonstrated with voltage control of the magnetism at ambient temperatures.

Switching of magnetic easy-axis using crystal orientation for large perpendicular coercivity in CoFe2O4 thin film

Perpendicular magnetization and precise control over the magnetic easy axis in magnetic thin film is necessary for a variety of applications, particularly in magnetic recording media. A strong (111) orientation is successfully achieved in the CoFe₂O₄ (CFO) thin film at relatively low substrate temperature of 100 °C, whereas the (311)-preferred randomly oriented CFO is prepared at room temperature by the DC magnetron sputtering technique. The oxygen-deficient porous CFO film after post-annealing gives rise to compressive strain perpendicular to the film surface, which induces large perpendicular coercivity. We observe the coercivity of 11.3 kOe in the 40-nm CFO thin film, which is the highest perpendicular coercivity ever achieved on an amorphous SiO₂/Si substrate. The present approach can guide the systematic tuning of the magnetic easy axis and coercivity in the desired direction with respect to crystal orientation in the nanoscale regime. Importantly, this can be achieved on virtually any type of substrate.

Role of scaffold network in controlling strain and functionalities of nanocomposite films

Strain is a novel approach to manipulating functionalities in correlated complex oxides. However, significant epitaxial strain can only be achieved in ultrathin layers. We show that, under direct lattice matching framework, large and uniform vertical strain up to 2% can be achieved to significantly modify the magnetic anisotropy, magnetism, and magnetotransport properties in heteroepitaxial nanoscaffold films, over a few hundred nanometers in thickness. Comprehensive designing principles of large vertical strain have been proposed. Phase-field simulations not only reveal the strain distribution but also suggest that the ultimate strain is related to the vertical interfacial area and interfacial dislocation density. By changing the nanoscaffold density and dimension, the strain and the magnetic properties can be tuned. The established correlation among the vertical interface-strain-properties in nanoscaffold films can consequently be used to tune other functionalities in a broad range of complex oxide films far beyond critical thickness.

X-ray absorption spectroscopy on magnetic nanoscale systems for modern applications

X-ray absorption spectroscopy facilitated by state-of-the-art synchrotron radiation technology is presented as a powerful tool to study nanoscale systems, in particular revealing their static element-specific magnetic and electronic properties on a microscopic level. A survey is given on the properties of nanoparticles, nanocomposites and thin films covering a broad range of possible applications. It ranges from the ageing effects of iron oxide nanoparticles in dispersion for biomedical applications to the characterisation on a microscopic level of nanoscale systems for data storage devices. In this respect, new concepts for electrically addressable magnetic data storage devices are highlighted by characterising the coupling in a BaTiO(3)/CoFe(2)O(4) nanocomposite as prototypical model system. But classical magnetically addressable devices are also discussed on the basis of tailoring the magnetic properties of self-assembled ensembles of FePt nanoparticles for data storage and the high-moment material Fe/Cr/Gd for write heads. For the latter cases, the importance is emphasised of combining experimental approaches in x-ray absorption spectroscopy with density functional theory to gain a more fundamental understanding.

Multi-susceptibile single-phased ceramics with both considerable magnetic and dielectric properties by selectively doping

Multiferroic ceramics with extraordinary susceptibilities coexisting are vitally important for the multi-functionality and integration of electronic devices. However, multiferroic composites, as the most potential candidates, will introduce inevitable interface deficiencies and thus dielectric loss from dissimilar phases. In this study, single-phased ferrite ceramics with considerable magnetic and dielectric performances appearing simultaneously were fabricated by doping target ions in higher valence than that of Fe³⁺, such as Ti⁴⁺, Nb⁵⁺ and Zr⁴⁺, into BaFe₁₂O₁₉. In terms of charge balance, Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ pair dipoles are produced through the substitution of Fe³⁺ by high-valenced ions. The electron hopping between Fe³⁺ and Fe²⁺ ions results in colossal permittivity. Whilst the single-phased ceramics doped by target ions exhibit low dielectric loss naturally due to the diminishment of interfacial polarization and still maintain typical magnetic properties. This study provides a convenient method to attain practicable materials with both outstanding magnetic and dielectric properties, which may be of interest to integration and multi-functionality of electronic devices.

Local manifestations of a static magnetoelectric effect in nanostructured BaTiO3-BaFe12O9 composite multiferroics

A study on magnetoelectric phenomena in the barium titanate-barium hexaferrite (BaTiO3-BaFe12O19) composite system, using high resolution techniques including switching spectroscopy piezoresponse force microscopy (SSPFM) and spatially resolved confocal Raman microscopy (CRM), is presented. It is found that both the local piezoelectric coefficient and polarization switching parameters change on the application of an external magnetic field. The latter effect is rationalized by the influence of magnetostrictive stress on the domain dynamics. Processing of the Raman spectral data using principal component analysis (PCA) and self-modelling curve resolution (SMCR) allowed us to achieve high resolution phase distribution maps along with separation of average and localized spectral components. A significant effect of the magnetic field on the Raman spectra of the BaTiO3 phase has been revealed. The observed changes are comparable with the classical pressure dependent studies on BaTiO3, confirming the strain mediated character of the magnetoelectric coupling in the studied composites.

Multiferroic behavior of templated BiFeO3-CoFe2O4 self-assembled nanocomposites

Self-assembled BiFeO3-CoFe2O4 nanocomposites were templated into ordered structures in which the ferrimagnetic CoFe2O4 pillars form square arrays of periods 60-100 nm in a ferroelectric BiFeO3 matrix. The ferroelectricity, magnetism, conductivity, and magnetoelectric coupling of the ordered nanocomposites were characterized by scanning probe microscopy. The insulating BiFeO3 matrix exhibited ferroelectric domains, whereas the resistive CoFe2O4 pillars exhibited single-domain magnetic contrast with high anisotropy due to the magnetoelasticity of the spinel phase. Magnetoelectric coupling was observed in which an applied voltage led to reversal of the magnetic pillars.

Evolution of microstructure, strain and physical properties in oxide nanocomposite films

We, using LSMO:ZnO nanocomposite films as a model system, have studied the effect of film thickness on the physical properties of nanocomposites. It shows that strain, microstructure, as well as magnetoresistance strongly rely on film thickness. The magnetotransport properties have been fitted by a modified parallel connection channel model, which is in agreement with the microstructure evolution as a function of film thickness in nanocomposite films on sapphire substrates. The strain analysis indicates that the variation of physical properties in nanocomposite films on LAO is dominated by strain effect. These results confirm the critical role of film thickness on microstructures, strain states, and functionalities. It further shows that one can use film thickness as a key parameter to design nanocomposites with optimum functionalities.