Structural and electrical properties of LuMnO3 thin film prepared by chemical solution method

Hexagonal LuMnO3 thin films have been prepared based on a chemical solution deposition method. These films were deposited by spin-coating technique and annealed at different temperatures from 750 degrees C up to 850 degrees C, based on the thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis results. An amorphous phase is observed in the film annealed at 750 degrees C, while a pure LuMnO3 hexagonal phase is reached in the films annealed at 800 degrees C and 850 degrees C, along with a visible enhancement in the grain morphology as the annealing temperature increase. Low temperature magnetic analysis of the LuMnO3 films annealed at 850 degrees C reveals several magnetic transitions, which are consistent with those reported for both LuMnO3 ceramics and single crystals. Moreover, the emergence of a canted spin arrangement was evidenced from the temperature dependence of the specific induced magnetization and magnetic hysteretic cycles. No significant effect of the substrate on the magnetic properties was also sorted out. Dielectric measurements reveal the existence of a complex frequency behavior of the dielectric permittivity, which can be associated with relaxation processes arising from the interfaces film/electrodes. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.