Multiphase growth in Bi-Mn-O thin films

Abstract

We report on multiphase thin film growth of the Bi-Mn-O system on SrTiO3 (100) substrates. By varying the deposition oxygen partial pressure, the dominant phase formed in the film can be continuously changed from single phase epitaxal multiferroic BiMnO3 to epitaxally grown ferromagnetic Mn3 O4. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy revealed that epitaxial multiferroic nanocomposites consisting of BiMnO3 and Mn3 O4 form when the deposition pressure is ≈10 mTorr. The magnetic properties of the films were found to change as a function deposition pressure in a manner consistent with the variation in the nanocomposite microstructure. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.