Low-temperature growth and interface characterization of BiFeO3 thin films with reduced leakage current

BiFeO 3 (BFO) thin films of pure perovskite phase were deposited on LaNiO3-buffered Pt∕TiOx∕SiO2∕Si (LNO) and Pt∕TiOx∕SiO2∕Si (Pt) substrates by RF magnetron sputtering. Highly (100)-oriented BFO film was coherently grown on LNO at a temperature as low as 300 °C. The crystal structure and the film/electrode interface of BFO films were characterized using x-ray diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscope high-angle annular dark-field imaging. The conventional problem of the leakage current was greatly reduced with remarkable improvement in the film/electrode interface, chemical homogeneity, crystallinity, and surface roughness of the BFO film.