Influence of barium doping on structural and magnetic properties of bismuth ferrite thin films via spray pyrolysis method

Abstract

Single-phase Bi(1-x) BaxFeO3 (0.00 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.20) thin films are successfully deposited on glass substrates by using a spray pyrolysis method. Rietveld analysis of x-ray diffraction patterns confirms that the films are crystallized in a distorted rhombohedral perovskite structure with an R3c space group. No substantial changes in the structure are observed in the samples within the studied doping concentration. The energy dispersive spectroscopy pattern and morphology of the thin films are examined with field emission scanning electron microscopy. Raman modes confirmed slight structural distortions with the increase in Ba concentration. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of the thin films shows the effect of Ba2+ in the formation of Fe2+ defects and oxygen vacancies. The room temperature magnetic characterizations of the thin films are measured by using a vibrating sample magnetometer within a range of 10 kOe magnetic field. The values of saturation magnetization and the remnant magnetization are increased with an increase in Ba concentration as compared to the pure bismuth ferrite thin film. The optimum value of field-dependent saturation magnetization (2.4069 emu gm−1) and field-dependent remnant magnetization (0.6279 emu gm−1) are observed for Ba substituted bismuth ferrite samples with x = 0.10.