Significantly reduced leakage current density in Mn-doped BiFeO₃ thin films deposited using spin coating technique

Abstract BiFeO3 (BFO) and Mn-doped BFO thin films are prepared on indium tin oxide/glass substrates using wet chemical deposition technique. The role of Mn defects (3% to 10%) on the leakage current density and other physical properties of BFO thin film devices is investigated. The X-ray diffraction patterns confirm the single-phase formation of rhombohedrally distorted BFO thin films. The scanning electron microscopy images approve uniform and crack-free film depositions, which is of great importance to the practical device applications of such materials. The oxidation states are determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These XPS results reveal the presence of multiple valence states of Fe ions (Fe2+, Fe3+) and Mn (Mn3+, Mn4+) ions, which play a decisive role in determining the leakage current density. However, the Mn-doping at the Fe site in BFO reduces oxygen vacancies and Fe2+ states, hence suppressing the leakage current density. The leakage current density is reduced by three orders of magnitude (10−4 – 10−7) A/cm2, upon Mn-doping as clearly demonstrated by J-V characteristics. These results indicate that the primary contributors to the conduction in BFO based thin films are oxygen vacancies and the Fe2+ states in these devices.