Structural and improved electrical properties of rare earth (Sm, Tb and Ho) doped BiFe0.975Mn0.025O3 thin films

Pure BiFeO₃ (BFO) and rare earth (RE) ion co-doped (Bi_0.9RE_0.1)(Fe_0.975Mn_0.025)O₃ (RE?=?Sm, Tb and Ho, denoted by BSFM, BTFM and BHFM) thin films were prepared on Pt(111)/Ti/SiO₂/Si(100) substrates by using a chemical solution deposition method. Formations of distorted rhombohedral perovskite structure for the thin films were confirmed by using an X-ray diffraction and a Raman scattering analysis. Microstructural features for the thin films were examined by using a scanning electron microscopic analysis. Among the thin films, the lowest leakage current density of 1.22?×?10^?6 A/cm² (at 100 kV/cm), large remnant polarization (2Pr) of 72.4 μC/cm² and low coercive field (2E _c ) of 689 kV/cm (at 980 kV/cm) were measured for the BTFM thin film.