Room temperature ferromagnetism and magnetoelectric coupling in (K 0.5Na0.5)NbO3 PLD nanocrystalline films

(K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 nanocrystalline films have been successfully prepared on conductive Si substrate under different conditions by pulsed laser deposition. Room temperature ferromagnetism has been achieved through the introduction of cation (K, Na) vacancies during deposition at the expense of the deterioration of ferroelectricity. In addition to positive magnetocapacitance effect and electrical manipulation of magnetization, the new phenomenon that the orthometric application of an electric field and magnetic field on the surface of film leads to an enormous enhancement of in-plane saturation magnetization has been first observed, indicative of a strong magnetoelectric coupling which has a memory effect on the saturation magnetization at room temperature. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.