Evidence of the Griffiths phase in multiferroic BiMnO3 and BiFe0.5Mn0.5O3 films

Abstract

Microstructure and magnetic properties of BiMnO3 and BiFe0.5Mn0.5O3 films, prepared by rf magnetron sputtering on LaAlO3 (001) single-crystalline substrate, are investigated. The selected-area electron diffraction analysis allows us to identify the crystal structure of the BiMnO3 film as orthorhombic, while the BiFe0.5Mn0.5O3 film has a hexagonal lattice symmetry. High-resolution electron microscopy study reveals the presence of strip-domain phase with a periodic spacing of about 3c in both films. Magnetic measurements show that in addition to the basic paramagnetic phase the films exhibit Griffiths phase behavior in a wide temperature range. We argue that the observed weak ferromagnetism is due to the strip-domain layered inclusions, rather than intrinsic physical origin of the films.