Room temperature magnetoelectric properties of [Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-0.5 (Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3]/Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 bilayer thin films deposited by laser ablation

Ferroelectric-ferromagnetic [Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O-3-0.5(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3](160 nm)/Ni0.8Zn0.2Fe2O4 (30 nm, 60 nm) bilayer thin films (abbreviated as (BZT-0.5BCT)/NZFO) have been grown on Pt/Si(100) substrate by pulse laser deposition techniques. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms polycrystalline nature of the films without any intermediate phase at the interface. The large value of dielectric constant (epsilon' similar to 2.03 x 10(3) at frequency 100 Hz) and remnant magnetization (Mr similar to 45.25 emu/cc) were observed at room temperature for (BZT-0.5BCT)/NZFO (60 nm) bilayer thin film. Bilayer (BZT-0.5BCT)/NZFO (30 nm) thin film exhibits saturated ferroelectric loop with large value of polarizations P-r similar to 5.57 mu C/cm(2) and P-s similar to 20 mu C/cm(2). The large value of ME coefficient (alpha(E) similar to 320 mV/cm.Oe) was obtained for (BZT-0.5BCT)/NZFO (30 nm) thin film at room temperature. This indicates its potential for lead-free ME device applications.