Microstructure and improved electrical properties of Ti-substituted BiFeO3 thin films

Abstract This paper discussed about the effects of Ti-substitution (0–10 atom%) at Fe-site on the structure and electrical properties of BiFeO 3 (BFO) films deposited by sol-gel technique. The lattice parameters of the phase pure (perovskite) polycrystalline BFO films are found to be reduced up-to 0.38% and 1.43% in a and c directions respectively due to the Ti-substitution. Grain sizes of the BFO films are found to be increasing with the Ti-substitution. The maximum remnant polarization of 70 μC/cm 2 is observed in 2.5% Ti-substituted BFO film. The leakage current density (∼10 −4  A/cm 2 at 0.6 MV/cm applied electric field) of the Ti substituted BFO film (10%) is found to be three orders lower than the pristine BFO film. Reason for the improved electrical properties seems to be due to replacement of Fe 3+ withTi 4+ ions which in turn might help in reducing the effect of oxygen vacancies defects.