Synthesis of Ferroelectric and Multiferroics Thin films of BiMnO3/ SrTiO3 and Structural, Piezoelectric, Magnetic, Optical, and Mechanical Properties Characterization

Glory Valentine Umoh (2022)

Multiferroic characteristics of BiMnO3 thin films offer great prospects to explore, either

in terms of ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism, or ferroelasticity. Ferroelectric and

ferromagnetic materials can be used in data storage due to their electrical and magnetic

properties. Ferroelastic can find its application in microelectromechanical systems

devices. This dissertation focused on the synthesis, characterization, and improvement of

the multiferroic properties of polycrystalline BiMnO3 thin films as well as the elaboration

influence of Cu on the magnetism of BiMnO3 thin films. BiMnO3 films were grown on

three different substrates, Si (001), Pt-buffered Si (001), Nb-doped SrTiO3 (100), and also

doped with different amounts of Cu. The films were characterized using techniques such

as X-Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), HRTEM

observations, by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), atomic force microscopy

(AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, Visible-near-IR

spectroscopy (Vis-NIR), electron energy loss spectrometer (EELS), nanoindenter,

superconductor quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer, and finally, the

polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis loops of the BiMnO3 thin films were conducted

at 200 and 300 K. There are several studies on the growth of thin films, however, they are

not clear and in some cases contradictory, therefore, different parameters were controlled

during the deposition in terms of working pressure, RF power, substrate, deposition

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temperature, and target to substrate distance. After deposition ex-situ thermal treatment

was carried out in order to compensate for the volatility of bismuth and also to eliminate

secondary phase.

Kramer’s–Krӧnig analysis was used to determine bandgap, via a polynomial fit in the

energy loss function (ELF) plot with an Eg = 1.63 eV, complex dielectric function, and

static dielectric constant, ε* = 4.68 of the grown BiMnO3 thin films. The reflection

coefficient Ґl of the BiMnO3 thin films was used to elucidate the reflection loss in the

BiMnO3 thin films. XPS analysis revealed the existence of Mn charge transition of 3+

and 4+ states. Resistivity result describes BIMnO3 as a semiconductor. The

nanomechanical characterization demonstrated that the region of penetration depth was

below 10% of BiMnO3 film thickness. Young's modulus (E), hardness (H), and Stiffness

(S) were measured to be 142 ± 3 GPa, 8 ± 0.2 GPa, and 44072 ± 45 N/m respec

Tesis de doctorado

SÍNTESIS DE MATERIALES Materiales Multiferroicos CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA FÍSICA OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES FÍSICAS OTRAS OTRAS