Microstructure and interfacial chemistry of pure and La-doped BiFeO₃ thin films

We report on the microstructure and interfacial chemistry of thin films of pure and La-doped multiferroic bismuth ferrite (Bi1-x Lax FeO3 or BLFO), synthesized on Indium Tin Oxide-coated glass substrates by solution-deposition technique and studied using scanning transmission electron microscopy. Our results show that undoped and La-doped thin films are polycrystalline with distorted rhombohedral structure without any presence of any line or planar defect in the films. In addition, the films with La doping did not show any structural change and maintain the equilibrium structure. Cross section compositional analysis using X-ray energy dispersive spectrometry did not reveal either any interdiffusion of chemical species or formation of reaction product at the film-substrate interface. However, a closer examination of the microstructure of the films shows tiny pores along with the presence of approximately 2-3 nm thin amorphous layers, which may have significant influence on the functional properties of such films.