Structural changes in chemical solution deposited lanthanum doped bismuth ferrite thin films

Here, we report on the lanthanum (La) doping induced structural changes in chemical solution grown Bi1-xLaxFeO3 (0.0 <= x >= 0.30) thin films on indium tin oxide coated glass substrates and influence on film's properties. Films show gradual structural changes from rhombohedral towards a pseudocubic structure as the La content increases, also evident from changes in the lattice constant and disappearance of peak splitting upon increasing the doping level. This was also accompanied by an increase in the dielectric constant, magnetization and a marginal decrease in the leakage current density up to x=0.20 followed by a reverse trend at higher doping levels. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.