Nanostructured multiferroic Pb(Zr,Ti)O3–NiFe2O4 thin-film composites

Pb(Zr,Ti)O3–NiFe2O4 thin-film composites were fabricated by spin coating a nickel ferrite precursor solution onto self-assembled porous lead zirconate titanate thin films. The morphology investigations revealed a very extensive interface area between both constitutents. The X-ray diffraction shows that NiFe2O4 coatings induce large compressive in-plane stresses in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3, which are generated during synthesis due to the significant difference in the thermal expansion coefficients of both phases. Diffraction peaks, moreover, corroborate a two phase pure system, without any other detectable secondary phase. The multiferroicity of the composites is evidenced by both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic hysteresis loops, while magnetic field-induced changes of the dielectric constant imply the potential utility of the developed material in magnetocapacitive applications.