Structural, magnetic, and optical properties of BiFeO3 and Bi2FeMnO6 epitaxial thin films: An experimental and first-principles study

Publication Type

Journal Article

Date Published

09/2008

Authors

DOI

Abstract

BiFeO3 and Bi2FeMnO6 films were epitaxially grown on SrTiO3 (001) substrates by pulsed-laser deposition, and their structural, magnetic, magneto-optical and optical properties were measured. In Bi2FeMnO6, Fe is mainly present in the 3+ valence state, while Mn shows multivalence states. Bi2FeMnO6 exhibits low magnetization at room temperature and at 5 K indicating there is no significant B-site ordering. The BiFeO3 film shows high optical transparency, while Bi2FeMnO6 shows high absorption loss in the infrared. Density-functional theory modeling of BiFeO3, BiMnO3 and Bi2FeMnO6 was carried out by applying the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and GGA + U methods. The formation enthalpy of ordered Bi2FeMnO6 is positive for several crystal symmetries and for ferromagnetic (FM) or antiferromagnetic (AFM) spin structures at 0 K temperature, indicating B-site ordering is not favored. The electronic structure calculations are consistent with the electronic and optical properties of these films.

Journal

Physical Review B

Volume

78

Year of Publication

2008

Organization