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Author: Glory Valentine Umoh
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
Doctoral thesis
SÍNTESIS DE MATERIALES Materiales Multiferroicos CIENCIAS FÍSICO MATEMÁTICAS Y CIENCIAS DE LA TIERRA FÍSICA OTRAS ESPECIALIDADES FÍSICAS OTRAS OTRAS