Investigation on multiferroic, optical and photoluminescence properties of CoFe2O4/(Pb1−xSrx)TiO3 nanostructured composite thin films

Abstract

Multiferroic nanostructured composite thin films consisting of CoFe2O4 (CFO) and Pb1−xSrxTiO3 (PST; x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) layers have been deposited on Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si and quartz substrates by using metallo-organic decomposition process and spin coating. The effect of Sr content on the multiferroic and optical properties have been investigated. The phase purity such as spinel structure of CFO and perovskite structure of PST has been verified by X-ray diffraction. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy images revealed clear interface between CFO and PST layers without any noticeable diffusion. The multiferroic properties of CFO/PST composite films have been confirmed by magnetic and ferroelectric hysteresis loops with low leakage current density. The residual strain sensitivity of multiferroic and optical properties has been observed in the composite films. The decrease in saturation magnetization and saturation polarization with increase in Sr content has been observed which could be attributed to the decrease in residual strain of CFO/PST composite films. The magnetic phase transition temperature of the CFO/PST composite films is also reduced. The optical refractive index decreases with increase of amount of Sr content. The photoluminescence spectra of the CFO/PST composite films possess a blue shift which can be attributed to the Pb and oxygen vacancies as localized sensitizing centers. We show that the multiferroic and optical properties of the CFO/PST composite films are highly sensitive to the heterostructure strains which can be controlled by Sr content.