Magnetoelectric effect in epitaxial Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 composite thin film

The magnetoelectric effect (ME) in the epitaxial Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O-3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (PZT/LSMO) composite thin film deposited on LaAlO3 substrate was reported. This effect is generally negligible in the strictly condensed composite films, where the thick substrates would inhibit any free deformations of the ferroic films (as usually called as "substrate clamping"). In this work, the authors found that the substrate influence could be effectively declined by the formation of columnar-grain structures in the magnetostrictive LSMO layer. Quick release of the clamping strength along the film normal direction allowed for free deformation of the upper part of the LSMO columns and thus the piezoelectric PZT layer as well. The maximum ME voltage coefficients alpha(E) of 3.0 and 4.2 mV cm(-1) Oe(-1), respectively, for the "transverse" and "parallel" measurement modes were obtained. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.